pelika Observer O Vol. 11, No. 38
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Opelika, Alabama
The Velcro Pygmies in Opelika Aug. 2 Bottling Plant Event Center
“By local people, for local people.”
‘Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill’ to hold grand opening at USA Town Center next month By Morgan Bryce Editor Authentic Jamaican cuisine has made its way to Opelika in the form of Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill, which is slated to hold its grand opening July 15 at 11 a.m. at USA Town Center. Owned and operated by Opelika native Tanisha Stephens and cook Erica Smith, the restaurant replaces The Boar’s Breath, which closed last month. The duo have been friends for more than 20 years and been working together off and on since 2017, when Homegirls started as a pre-order, homecooked meal service that only served food on Fridays. After the space became available,
Photo by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer
Cities of Auburn and Opelika to host July 4 celebrations next week Photo special to the Opelika Observer Stephens said she and Smith decided to follow through with their vision of making Homegirls’ into an actual restaurant.
“The day we made the announcement, we went from 400 Facebook likes to nearly 900. I think people are really excited for
something different,” Stephens said. “There are some great Jamaican restaurants (in our area), but we thought See Homegirls, page A3
By Morgan Bryce Editor
The cities of Auburn and Opelika will be holding their traditional celebrations of America’s 243rd birthday next week.
Opelika’s 67th annual “Freedom Celebration” will be held July 3 at Opelika High School, beginning at 6 p.m. The family-friendly event includes food, games and a See Fireworks, page A9
Coding academy to open in Two industries announce Auburn-Opelika area in July expansions in Opelika By Morgan Bryce Editor
Birmingham start-up TrueCoders is opening a coding academy in the Auburn-Opelika area next month. With an office at 1500 Pumphrey Ave., newly hired Regional Manager Charlotte Conaway said their area of service encompasses Lee County and extends as far as Montgomery. She has been actively meeting with local businesses, industries and nonprofits to promote her company and the services it offers. Instead of a two or traditional fouryear college degree, TrueCoders offers
Special to the Opelika Observer
Photo special to the Opelika Observer
students 10-week or six-month-long classes and are considered junior entry-level employee candidates upon program completion. Conaway explained that TrueCoders helps
students hone their interviewing skills and resumes for career preparation and work with recruiters to make sure each student finds a career. See Coders, page A3
Index
OPINION.....................................A4 SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY..............A7 RELIGION..............................A10 CALENDAR..................................A12
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller announced today that two existing Opelika manufacturing companies – West Fraser, Inc. and Hanwha Advanced Materials America– will be expanding. “We are delighted at the commitment West Fraser and Hanwha are making in our community. The success that warrants additional investment and the creation of additional jobs is proof that both companies have outstanding leaders and staff in place,” Fuller said. “We are
SPORTS..................................B1 LEGALS...................................B6 POLITICS.......................................B7 ENTERTAINMENT........................B12
Photo special to the Opelika Observer
proud to call them partners and thank them for investing in Opelika.” West Fraser, Inc., will be constructing a new planer mill, which will increase its manufacturing capabilities. West
Fraser is one of the largest lumber manufacturers in the United States, with 45 facilities in Western Canada and the southern U.S. They offer sustainable forestry, See Expansion, page A2
pelika O Observer.com
pelika O Observer
A2 June 26, 2019
Opelika Lions Club recognizes new, outgoing officers; presents humanitarian award to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris and member James Morgan Jr. named ‘Lion of the Year’
Photos special to the Opelika Observer Pictured top left, newly elected officers and board members of the Opelika Lions Club for 2019-2020 are seated as follows: front row left to right: incoming President Glenn Stokes, District Governor Bubba Bingham, Brooka Stokes, William Browning and John Jenkins: Back row left to right: James Morgan, Jr., Ernie Gazaway, Ben Blasingame, Doug Hicks, Greg Boyd, Jim Allen and Gayron Davis. Pictured top right, Lion James Morgan Jr. left, presented the Lions International Melvin Jones humanitarian award to Lee County coroner Bill Harris, center, accompanied by his wife, Christy (right). Pictured left, Opelika Lions Club “Lion of the Year” James Morgan Jr., left, was awarded by outgoing Lion President Doug Hicks. About the Lions Club: The Opelika Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1917 in Chicago by Melvin Jones. It is now headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. As of April 2015, it had more than 46,000 local clubs and more than 1.7 million members in 190 countries around the world. The organization’s is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
Expansion, from A1 “Our Mission is Your Health”
Beauregard Drugs SPRING IS HERE…
And so are your Allergies! We can help get you feeling better faster.
Stop by today.
334-364-9993 phone | 334-364-9997 fax 7667 Alabama Hwy 51, Ste. A, Opelika www.beauregarddrugs.com
pelika Observer
Publisher: Michelle Key Editor: Morgan Bryce Marketing: Doug Horn and Woody Ross Photojournalist: Robert Noles Phone: 334.749.8003 editor@opelikaobserver.com Sports Writers: Rick Lanier and Michelle@opelikaobserver.com D. Mark Mitchell
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high-efficiency wood products. The company plans to invest an additional $43 million. Hanwha will invest an additional $32 million in capital and create 128 new jobs within the next three years. Hanwha has four production bases in the U.S. and manufactures high-quality lightweight composite materials and auto parts. “We are thrilled that these great companies continue to grow and invest in Opelika. Their continued investment is testament to their ongoing success in our community,”
Photo special to the Opelika Observer
added City of Opelika Economic Development Director Lori Huguley. For more informa-
tion, contact City of Opelika Economic Development Project Manager John Sweatman at 334-705-5115.
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pelika O Observer
A3 June 26, 2019
EAMC opens new Spencer Cancer Center By Kelly Daniel For the Opelika Observer On June 17, East Alabama Medical Center opened the new E.L. Spencer, Jr. and Ruth Priester Spencer Cancer Center, a state-of-the-art facility created to adapt to the growing needs of East Alabama communities and to provide an optimal care environment. Benefits for patients include the ability to stay close to home during treatment, the convenience of having all cancer care services in one place, and providing natural surroundings to promote healing. Benefits of HighQuality Local Care In a statement that EAMC included in a recent press release, EAMC President and CEO Laura Grill pointed out that most patients want to receive treatment locally. "When you're under cancer care, you want to stay at home, and you want to stay in your community," Grill said. When local cancer treatment is possible, patients can have their family and friends nearby for support. Such social support provides benefits of stress reduction and emotional support that boost healing, as
Coders, from A1 Currently, TrueCoders offers courses on coding’s four primary languages: C#, Java, Python and SQL. Depending on student needs or industry switchovers, Conaway said TrueCoders will add courses to meet those changes. Conaway said the program “is revolutionary” because the program can be something “for people from all walks of life.” She added that average TrueCoder graduates earn an average of $50,000 to $60,000, some even as high as $70,000. Tuition for the program is $9,500, with most educational grants, loans or schol-
Homegirls, from A1 that Opelika really needed because there are so many different cultures and people here, along with the ids who come to attend school at Auburn. There is a little bit of everything in our area when it comes to food, and we want to be a part of that.” Smith, originally from Montego Bay, used to run her own Jamaican restaurant in Decatur, Georgia. She said she plans to bring her knowledge and love of the cuisine to Ope-
is shown in research, including a 2017 article by Joanne Haviland and other authors published in the journal "PsychoOncology" entitled "Social support following diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer and associations with healthrelated quality of life." Fortunately, uprooting oneself from a support network to travel far away is usually not necessary to receive the best care in East Alabama. "For the majority of cancer types and majority of cancer cases – other than the rare, specialty – anything can be treated here," Grill said. During a media tour on June 4, EAMC Radiation Oncologist Dr. John Cabelka explained that during the years, cancer treatment protocols have become more standardized, enabling community and regional cancer programs to provide care on par with that of major academic institutions. Reputable accrediting organizations have responded to the trend of increased local services by seeking to accredit such local and regional facilities that demonstrate excellent cancer treatment. The American College of arships being accepted. A TrueCoders graduate will be leading classes at the AuburnOpelika campus. The first 10-week session will begin Aug. 6, with classes lasting from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students are responsible for having laptops and bring their own lunch. Night courses will begin in mid-September and last from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. three nights per week. Conaway is searching for businesses or companies that would sponsor employees or individuals to promote education and their ideals. “Not everybody is geared toward college or getting that four-year degree. This provides an opportunity for those people or students to go out lika, which will include menu items like curry chicken, goat and oxtail. Breakfast will remain traditional American with eggs and grits, and there will be foods like hamburgers and hotdogs for children or picky eaters. “Back home, my mom would start preparing for a Sunday meal on Friday, getting the seasoning ready, doing the chopping … that was a tradition, that’s what we’re used to. With items like the curry chicken, we usually allow two or three days to marinate before we put it on the grill, and that’s just the Jamaican way to ensure
Photo special to the Opelika Observer
Surgeons explains on its website that the ACoS Commission on Cancer "recognizes cancer care programs for their commitment to providing comprehensive, highquality, and multidisciplinary patient-centered care." The Commission on Cancer's program has long since recognized EAMC as a comprehensive community cancer program, a distinction that indicates excellent treatment and support. Growing Space Constraints Prompted Plans for New Facility Despite the passionate and dedicated staff at fairly quickly into the workforce and earn a decent living job,” Conaway said. “It is also beneficial for college students who wish to participate because it gives them extra hands-on experience that they can put on a resume.” With the present job gap that exists in the Auburn-Opelika area, Conaway said she believes TrueCoder’s presence will help to alleviate that problem. “A lot of manufacturers coming here are having to look in Atlanta and other places to get workers and it would be great for people to stay here and go to work in their town,” Conaway said. For more information, call 205-5308496 or visit www. truecoders.io. it has flavor,” Smith said. In addition to the food, there will be Jamaican-influenced decor, drinks, music and photographs to give patrons a better feel and understanding of the country’s culture. The duo said they are looking to form partnerships with other makers and restaurateurs and sell some of their products at Homegirls. Stephens added that Matt Poirier of The Hound and Sneak and Dawdle is mentoring them and lending them advice as they navigate through the opening process.
the cancer center, space became a limitation to the patient experience. "We had a great team of skilled personnel, but the facilities were older and too small," Cabelka said. While spacious when EAMC first built it, the growing demand for care in burgeoning East Alabama communities caused the center to become too small to enable all patients to bring family and friends to treatment. "Our cancer cases have increased over the past five to seven years as the area has grown, and we
simply outgrew our old cancer center," Cabelka said. Population growth has caused the number of patients to increase in all specialties, but improvements in cancer treatment are another factor adding to the growth in oncology. The introduction of new and effective treatments over the past ten years has also increased the types of cancers that are considered treatable, resulting in better prognoses for cancer patients and expanding needs for long-term care. Notably, EAMC
provides cancer care to patients in both Lee County and in adjacent areas, as was pointed out by Vice President of Clinical Services Chris Clark. "We don't just treat Auburn and Opelika patients—we treat all the surrounding counties," Clark said. A Larger Facility Designed With Social Support in Mind The new Cancer Center facility provides much more space for visitors, thus better meeting the social support needs of patients. Having a trusted See Center, page A5
Photo special to the Opelika Observer Pictured above are students participating in classes in the Birmingham location of the TrueCoders academy. Once the Auburn-Opelika area campus opens next month, they will offer classes in the four basic coding languages, but expand based on demand and feedback from local industries. For more information, visit www.truecoders.io. During their first week in business, Stephens said they plan to open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day during the first week and later open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Along with broadened operating hours will be an expanded menu based on customer demand, Smith added. For more information, call 334-444-2849 or like and follow their Facebook page “Homegirls’ Jamaican Grill.” A website is expected to launch soon. Homegirls’ will occupy Suite 220 of USA Town Center, which is located at 1220 Fox Run Ave.
pelika O Opinion
A4 June 26, 2019
I
Homegrown
n the south, tradition is everything. Antiques are passed down from generation to generation just as delicately as those gorgeous vintage dresses that our great-grandmothers handstitched that every single little girl in the family wore for her first portrait session in her great-uncle’s cotton field. Southern folk pass on things in order to be cherished and remembered. A lot of people refer to these “hand-me-downs” as heirlooms. One of the most important things that seems to come to mind is recipes. I could list a hundred different delectable dishes that have been made by me and every other woman in our family, but I would easily go over my word limit. Recipes are cherished in all families in all walks of life all over the world, but here in the south, it’s just as important as church on Sunday morning. Don’t ever throw away the original recipe card with your Mema’s handwriting; I don’t care how stained and faded it is. You keep that card and frame it. Or, if you are my mother, you hand stitch it on a pillow that you “don’t sit on” and keep in your kitchen rocking chair for decorative
L
iving close to Mobile Bay the last 30 years of my life, my little family made it an annual Pinyerd tradition to pack a simple picnic supper, go to a nearby park and enjoying a scenic sunset! I enjoy that same scenic sunset here in Lee County as I walk my little dog and look at the sun setting over the tips of the forest near my little home. The beautiful pink sky truly puts your heart at
By Lucy Fuller
purposes only. Well, my kitchen doesn’t have a rocking chair, but it does have that pillow with the word for word recipe for my greatnanny’s cornbread. For a pillow that we don’t sit on, it sure does get used a lot. That pillow has made a name for itself over the years, almost as big as the recipe for that delicious cornbread it holds. When I tell you that’s the best cornbread you will ever taste, please don’t be shocked when you taste it and it actually is. It’s so good, you might even name your dog after it… not that I’ve done that or anything. Fried cornbread is a staple in this house and is one of my favorite heirlooms there ever was. Aside from the heirloom tomatoes that are all the rage in your local farmers market, Nanny’s heirloom cornbread is sure to be a hit with whomever is
peace and encourages one to thank God for His beautiful world! Children seem to truly light up when we talk about the lights of summer and their experiences. One activity that just naturally happens at home, vacation and camp is sky and star gazing. Talking about “the man in the moon,” who can make out the Constellation Orion the hunter wearing a belt with a sword in it, straining to make out the Big Dip-
lucky enough to consume it. Just today, I was walking around my garden, trying not to melt in this sweltering heat, and admiring my zinnias that I had planted in the spring. I didn’t go to the nearest box store and pile plastic pots of plants into my cart, which I have been guilty of, I went down the road to my father-in-law’s house for some seeds that he’d saved from his garden from previous years. He handed me a brown paper sack full of dried petals and little pieces of what looked like dandelion fuzz (that’s the best description I can conjure up) and told me that they liked lots of sun. I emptied the contents of that brown paper sack into my hand made raised garden beds and sprinkled them with lots of dirt, water, and love. I began to see them grow around the middle of May, and it’s the end of June now and they are blooming like crazy. They are the most beautiful zinnias I’ve ever grown, most likely because they are the only zinnias I’ve ever grown. All humor aside, they are gorgeous flowers, and I am so proud of them. See Fuller, page A5
A
Yellow Flies
nd on the Eighth Day, when the Lord finished creating the world, and was leaning back into his recliner, watching Golden Girls on TV Land, the Devil snuck into Heaven’s control room and said unto himself, “Let there be yellow flies.” And up from the pit of Hell, where the worm dieth not and the creator of Miracle Whip is imprisoned forevermore, arose a swarm of Floridian yellow flies (also known as deer flies). And the Devil saw it and he said that it was “pretty good.” And here we are. The Panhandle yellow fly is a vicious, aggressive, bloodsucking insect. When they bite, two things happen. First, you swell up like a water wing. Second, you die. My cousin Ed Lee claims that, after many years of personal research, he has found a sure-fire repellent for the yellow fly. “Beer is the secret,” Ed Lee explains. “Seriously, there are complex B vitamins in beer, they come out through your pores and yellow flies don’t want nothing to do with B vitamins.”
Summer Lights
By Beth Pinyerd
per and Little Dipper constellation as well as recognizing that Venus is the bright evening star present on many summer evenings. Camp fires provide
a light of fellowship. The church’s childrens’ fellowship brings out flashlights for Bible scavenger hunts. Younger and older children love to chase, catch and let go of fireflies! Yellow, green, or pale red blinking lights can be used to attract mates as well as signal undesirable tastes in the insect world. When you vacation by the beach, children love to scrape the sand and observe the beautiful light from a sea
By Sean Dietrich
A few nights ago, on Ed Lee’s porch, he tested his hypothesis with an adult beverage in his hand. Ed Lee’s bare legs were covered in yellow flies. “Doesn’t that hurt?” I asked. “You have yellow flies all over your legs.” “You worry too much,” came his response. Long ago, I dated a girl who moved to Florida from Arkansas. She said they didn’t have yellow flies up there. A few yellow flies got trapped in her mother’s car while she was driving. They bit her mother twenty-eight times. When she got home she called for her husband, he was bitten thirty-six times. A few days later, they moved back to Arkansas. And one time my uncle’s friend, Jerry, was sitting on a screened porch. There was a rip in his screen door. Flies came in by the dozen. It
sapphire at night. These animals sparkle. They catch the light and reflect it back. One might think their eyes are playing tricks on them because they light up quickly then the light is gone. Summer lights are so special because the season allows us to go outside and enjoy what we see. July 4th lights up the whole sky as we celebrate our independence with beautiful firework displays in our
was tragic. Jerry’s wife carried him to the emergency room and told doctors he was the victim of a yellow-fly attack. Doctors said they had never seen a man’s face so swollen before. “How many bit him?” the doctor asked. “Only one,” his wife said. “But I smashed it with a brick before it could fly off Jerry’s forehead.” Make no mistake, this is a serious issue facing our area, but local authorities stress that there is no need for alarm. County officials advise people to call the Department of Mosquito Control to receive a free yellow fly deterrent system to protect your home. The system was developed through research done by University of Florida scientists and is dispensed freely to county residents as part of a local initiative against yellow flies. I called the county to inquire about it: Said one dutiful county employee, “Dude, it’s just a sticky black ball. You hang it from a bird feeder.” See Dietrich, page A5
communities! One thing that we study is that light is a reflection of a certain source. Examples are that the moon and stars are a reflection of the sun. Children truly light up and literally accept the truth that Jesus’ light does not need a battery, the strike of a match, or a light switch, it is eternal! The light of love is a spark to get a fire going with God’s love in outreach and help to others.
Scots and Southerners have a lot in common
A
few years ago, I read where Scotland was going to vote whether it will remain as part of the United Kingdom or if it will secede and take off on its own. Now, I am in no position to comment on the ramifications of such a move but only to observe that if Scotland secedes, it will be because Scots are more like Southerners here in these United States, than like the Brits that live south of Hadrian’s Wall. Let me explain. It was back in the late 1970s, I think. I was in Edinburgh, and after a day of taking in the sights and sounds of the city, I decided to relax at a pub located across the street from my hotel. Entering, I found the place full of patrons who were watching World Cup Soccer on a TV above the bar. When I ordered a beer my accent
gave me away, and they greeted me as if I was a long lost relative. When they discovered that I knew little or nothing about soccer, they took it upon themselves to explain the game to me. It did not take me long to learn that Scotland’s highly favored team had been knocked out early by a combination of bad luck and bad officiating. My new-found friends were none too happy. When I asked which team they now favored, they replied, almost in unison, “not a bloody one of ‘em.” In fact, they were watching in hopes that the surviving teams would make a mess of the game and embarrass their country, their fans, and themselves. It was like SEC fans watching two Big Ten teams play and hoping the worst for them both. It was Southern. I felt right at home.
By Hardy Jackson
This connection between Scots and Southerners was confirmed a few days later when, up in the Highlands, I visited the site of the Battle of Culloden. There, in 1746, a largely English army under William, Duke of Cumberland, defeated rebel forces composed mostly of Highland Scots. I will spare you all the details of the Jacobite uprising other than to simply say that if it had succeeded, there would be no need for a vote on Scottish independence. Culloden was out in the middle of nowhere. If you went to the dictionary and looked up the word “bleak” you would
surely find a picture of the moor where the battle was fought. All that was there were some markers and a small cottage museum, hosted by two lovely Highland ladies in period dress. Greeting me warmly they explained that they got few visitors. Local folks don’t want to be reminded of what was done to them and “the English” (they said with an obvious distain) did not want to be reminded of what they did. The women went over the battle quickly. It was a short and bloody affair – the rebels lost around 1,500, Cumberland’s army lost 50. What happened next was the tale they were there to tell. The cottage which housed a few relics of the conflict was, they said, a replica of a cottage where Highland women and children sought refuge. The original had been burned, along with the
refugees in it. They recounted how, after the army was defeated, Cumberland’s troops went into the Highlands, looting what little was there, killing anyone who opposed them, and laying waste to the region and its people. Lean and hungry times followed. As they spoke I could feel a passion that reminded me of the Confederate reenactors at Civil War demonstrations, especially the women, who say little about whatever battle was being refought, but tell listeners how, after the fighting was done, the South suffered years of cruelty and humiliation at the hands of victorious Yankees. And there was, in both tellings, a hint of the conviction that the causes – Jacobite or Confederate --were just, and if the opportunity came again, Scots and Southerners would rise and avenge the ancestors who suffered so
at the hands of “the English” or “the Yankees.” But until that day came, descendants of the defeated would tell the story, their story, to whoever would to listen. After politely hearing them out, as a Southern gentleman is supposed to, I thanked them and took my leave. As I headed for the door one of the ladies, the one who did more listening than talking, stopped me with a final word. “You know, the English honored Cumberland by naming a flower after him,’ she said. “Sweet William.” “We Scots put his name to a weed – Stinking Billy.” Now tell me, can it get any more Southern than that? Harvey H. (“Hardy”) Jackson is Professor Emeritus of History at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hjackson@cableone.net.
pelika O Observer
Kroger ‘Rounding Up’ support for American troops and their families June 23 to July 6 Special to the Opelika Observer
Kroger is joining forces with the United Service Organization (USO) through July 6 to “Round Up” support for American troops and their families by giving customers the opportunity to round up their store purchases to the nearest dollar. For example, a Kroger customer who purchases $19.02 of groceries is urged to “round up” their bill to $20 by donating 98 cents. “Round up” funds will quickly add up to make a world of difference in the lives of the nation’s military heroes. “This is our ninth year partnering with
the USO,” said corporate affairs manager for Kroger’s Atlanta Division Felix Turner, The Atlanta Division includes Georgia, Eastern Alabama and South Carolina. “More than two million U.S. troops are on active duty or are in the reserves today, including some of our own associates. It is an honor to play a role in supporting our troops and their families.” Kroger has also partnered with the USO through “Honoring Our Heroes,” a multifaceted program designed to show Kroger’s deep gratitude to our active duty troops, military families, troops tran-
sitioning into civilian life and our nation's veterans. Established in 1941, the USO – a nonprofit, congressionally chartered organization – supports American troops in combat, as well as military personnel on local bases, the National Guard, Guard Reserves and other personnel providing humanitarian aid. This year’s USO Round Up goal is $225,000. Since 2011, Kroger customers in the Atlanta Division have raised more than $2 million through the annual “Round-Up” and “Honoring Our Heroes” campaigns in support of the USO.
Cities of Auburn and Opelika make top-10 list of places to live in Alabama Special to the Opelika Observer According to a recently released report by ChamberofCommerce.org, Auburn and Opelika were ranked in their top-10 list that details the best cities to live in for each state. The comprehensive analysis behind this report looks at cities with populations of more than 25,000 peoples and covers five essential factors: employment, housing, quality of life, education and health. In total, more than 2,500 cities were examined and given rankings on a per-state basis. ChamberofCommerce. org intends to highlight the cities that have either improved overall livabil-
Center,
from A3 friend or family member at cancer care appointments can help patients to understand, remember, and adhere to their treatment plans, as was pointed out by EAMC medical oncologist Brandon Johnson during a media tour on June 4. Such support is crucial during the overwhelming time immediately following a cancer diagnosis, when patients are presented with treatment and care instructions while also dealing with the emotional consequences of finding out that they have a serious medical condition. Comprehensive Care in a Calming Space The new center also provides additional benefits for stress reduction, including providing all cancer services in one place and offering a calming atmosphere. As EAMC stated in a press release, "Amenities at the new center include
ity for their residents or have upheld their existing high standards. Auburn was ranked #7 and Opelika #8 in the list. The top-three cities are Madison, Fairhope and Troy, according to the list. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, tens of millions of Americans relocate every year to improve their living situation in one way or another: some for reduced cost of living and housing, others for better employment opportunities, and others for an improved quality of life outside of finances. The Best Cities to Live report gives these families a concrete list of cities to consider before making the big move. Researchers at Cham-
berofCommerce.org gathered information from both the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control for more than 2,500 cities. Rankings were then determined by designating different sets of data to one of the aforementioned five factors (employment, housing, quality of life, education, and health) and assigning appropriate weights to each. Lastly, it should be noted that a handful of cities were omitted due to lacking requisite information. See the complete list of rankings for cities in your state: https://www. chamberofcommerce. org/best-cities-to-live-inalabama.
28 infusion chairs in five bays, 10 infusion center extension chairs, a spacious boutique with a wide selection of bras, wigs and other prosthetic items, an outpatient pharmacy, two linear accelerators, 18 examination rooms, a PET/ CT machine, physician offices, a chapel, four conference and education rooms, a resource library and more." An additional benefit of the new cancer center is the calming atmosphere that it provides, including beautifully landscaped grounds and contemporary building design, featuring natural lighting and large windows overlooking the forest behind the center. Surroundings with natural features have long been known to boost healing in cases of chronic illness, as was described in an article by Bonnie R. Sakallaris entitled "Optimal Healing Environments" and published in the journal "Global Advances in Health and Medicine." (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4424933/) Proactive Design and Planning EAMC administrators and physicians also designed the new facility with growth in mind, featuring conference rooms and other multipurpose spaces that can be converted into new treatment areas or utilized for a variety of other purposes as needs change in ways that EAMC's administrative and medical staff cannot foresee in the present. The space in the main EAMC building freed up by the cancer center's relocation also provides new opportunities for other growing departments to expand and adapt to changes in local communities and fields. More information on the Spencer Cancer Center can be found in EAMC's press release on the center's opening at (www.eamc.org/eamcsnew-spencer-cancer-center-opens/), on its web page (www.cancercenter. eamc.org/) or by calling 334-528-1070.
A5 June 26, 2019
Kroger launches Fuel VIP program in Eastern Alabama Special to the Opelika Observer Kroger customers in Eastern Alabama can save even more at the pump – just in time for holiday travels. Kroger stores in Eastern Alabama, including Auburn, Lanett and Opelika, are helping customers pay less for gas with Fuel VIP, which launched June 19. Upon enrolling in Kroger Fuel VIP, customers will receive one extra fuel point for every qualifying dollar they spend. For example, customers enrolled in Fuel VIP will receive two points instead of one for every dollar they spend. Kroger Fuel VIP is an enrollment-based
Fuller,
from A4 I have received several compliments of these flowers and have even been asked where the seeds could be purchased. I explained that they were given to me. I was told by my mother-in-law that they are seeds from flowers that have bloomed for many, many years so I decided to call them “Heirloom Zinnias” and rightfully so. Anything that beautiful and carefully handed down to another person is sure to be something valuable and cherished, therefore, it would be and could be considered and heirloom. Zinnias are gorgeous flowers that grow throughout the summer months in various colors.
Dietrich,
from A4
I asked what the governing theory behind the ball was. The county employee replied, “Listen, it’s my lunch break, you’re gonna have to ask Gary.” “Okay, where’s Gary?” “He’s spray painting beach balls out back.” As it happens, I already know the ball does nothing. Long ago, we used to hang sticky black balls around the baseball diamond before games. They were as worthless as a bra on a boar hog. Nobody will ever forget the adult-league softball matchup between the baptist men’s team and Team Post Office. My friend’s father, Randy, played centerfield—this is totally true—and was wearing baggy cargo shorts with no underbritches. During the third inning, people started
fuel rewards program. The fee is $40 per year, good for 365 days after purchase. Kroger customers can sign up for FuelVIP at their local Kroger store or online at www.Kroger.com/ fuelVIP. “Our customers are already enjoying the savings offered through Kroger’s fuel rewards opportunities and now can save even more as a Fuel VIP,” said manager of corporate affairs for Kroger’s Atlanta Division Felix Turner, “We are excited about this new program and look forward to participation and feedback from our customers.” Fuel VIP is available at Kroger stores throughout the company’s Atlanta Division,
which includes Georgia, Eastern Alabama and South Carolina. Exclusions apply. Please see full details at www.Kroger.com/ fuelVIP. About Kroger At The Kroger Co., they are dedicated to a purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. The company focuses its charitable efforts on hunger relief, K-12 education, women’s health initiatives and local organizations in the communities it serves. Kroger’s Atlanta Division is headquartered in Atlanta and is one of the Southeast’s largest retail grocery chains with more than 183 stores, covering Georgia, Eastern Alabama and South Carolina.
They grow tall and hearty and are a flower to be admired by all. Yes, you can go buy the plant and plant it with much success not having to worry about taking extra time and energy to plan when and where to plant the seeds. Picking a perfect spot, building a raised bed, or even adding to them an existing flower bed does take planning and time, which is not easy to come by these days. But, when you take that extra effort to sow a seed, water it, take care of it, and patiently wait for it to grow into something beautiful, it makes all of that hard work so much more valuable. When you see the flower finally bloom into something so big and beautiful and you are reminded of how tiny it was when you planted it, and it really makes you feel like you’ve done something worth doing.
It makes you want to sow more seeds. When you think about things of importance, things you want to be proud of and admire, think about sowing a seed. Planting an idea is the first step to a garden of bountiful progress. And if you are lucky enough to have some seeds left over you can then hand them down to the next generation and before you know it, you’ll be watching your great-grandchildren make Nanny’s fried cornbread from scratch with some homegrown sliced heirloom tomatoes on your grandmothers china with a big vase of fresh cut zinnias on the kitchen table. Fuller is a lover of nature, animals, gardening, and old houses. She is a full time mother and wife. She may be reached at fullalove2017@gmail. com.
laughing and pointing at him. Randy was running circles in the outfield, groping himself. Several men went to see what was the matter. And I don’t want to go into details because this is a family column, but a yellow fly had flown into his shorts and located Randy’s innermost qualities. Four teammates had to carry Randy to the restroom and strip him down. That day, I watched grown Baptist men cry. The yellow fly itself looks somewhat harmless, but it is evil incarnate, and if you see them, lock yourself indoors. Even a single bite can cause fatal allergic reactions in some. I interviewed one such elderly woman in our church. She is so allergic that she leaves town for six months to live with her sister in Las Vegas during yellow fly season. “It’s really not that bad,” she said. “In the winter, I live in the South, and in the summer, I get to experience
the pure joy of divorcing my husband.” She laughed. “I’m sorry, what was the question again?” Right now, I am writing you with a swollen finger and a foot that is the size of a basketball. I am lying in bed, watching Golden Girls on TV Land. Seven bites pepper my upper body. Three on my lower half. When my wife found me like this she had to cover her eyes. “What were you thinking,” she said. “sitting outside with all the yellow flies?” So I told her. Cousin Ed Lee and I were researching B vitamins. Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, the Tallahassee Democrat, Southern Magazine, Yellowhammer News, the Bitter Southerner, the Mobile Press Register and he has authored seven books.
pelika O Opinion
A6 June 26, 2019
Newspapers are a bridge to humanity and hope
N
orth America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica. Humanity lives, works and plays on the seven continents. And reads the newspaper. Because every life is a story and tells a story. All free countries on the planet with a printing press (and the Internet) are able to connect to share words, ideas, and daily happenings. People read newspapers around the globe because humanity bears the burden of tragedies and triumphs; goodness and evil; life and death. We relate to laughter and tears; healing and suffering; love and hate. Because we are humanity. Readers in the 50 states in the United States can
connect in both print and digital via newspapers. Americans care about Americans. And Americans care about people in other countries. Online newspapers connect us. You in me and me in you. You are me and I am you. We are us. Listen to our hearts beat with a stethoscope. Study our anatomy, our physiology, our body. We are a combination of one egg and one sperm. We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Birth and death are experienced by us both. Cut into our veins and see our red blood. Dissect our brains. What do you find? You and me. I want my children to grow up safe and secure and so do you. I want bacteria-free drinking wa-
Martin ter, pest-free shelter, and nutritious food sources and so do you. I want to worship the deity of my choice and so do you. I want love and to be loved and so do you. I want purpose and meaning in my life and so do you. I want to have choices and options and so do you. I want freewill and to accept responsibility,
accountability and consequences of my actions and so do you. I want some personal power over my own life and so do you. My story matters and so does your story. I can read your story in a newspaper. I want a life free of inhuman treatment, torture, slavery, violence, war, poverty and so do you. In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and proclaimed, “Whereas recognitions of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.” “We have met the enemy and he is us,” so
aptly declared by Pogo (cartoonist Walt Kelly) rings with reality. Can humanity save humanity? People who inhale and exhale. People like me— people like you. People. Human beings. We can learn about each other via newspapers. Alas, intolerance is global and reaches far into the universe and wears many faces. And the result is a planet brimming with unresolved emotional pain; generations of bruised souls; daily struggles for survival; and a search for significance. What are we so afraid of? Newspapers can help breach the gap. There’s more to the story. Hope and faith abound on our small planet. Insurmountable odds are surmountable.
Compassion and kindness is still alive and circles the globe in human skin igniting hope as kindling for inspirational bonfires. The human spirit is fragile, yet resilient. Agape love stretches and forgives sometimes. Newspapers are a bridge to hope. As our earth-home spins on its axial, we are all warmed by the same sun. People like me people like you. People. Human beings. Newspapers are a bridge to humanity and hope. And stories in newspapers connect humanity—past, present, and future. Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator and therapist. Her columns appear in newspapers in US and abroad.
Extension office notes: information on yellow jackets, ‘Forage Week’ and drought conditions By Maggie Lawerence, Justin Miller Special to the Opelika Observer Massive Yellow Jacket Nests Appearing Imagine a colony of yellow jackets the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, filled with 15,000 of the stinging insects. Now, imagine more than 90 of these super nests in Alabama. It happened in 2006, and Charles Ray, an entomologist working with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, said that 2019 may be shaping up to mirror that year. Perennial Yellow Jacket Nests It’s called a perennial yellow jacket nest. Entomologists believe that milder winters combined with an abundant food supply allow some colonies to survive and enter spring with much larger numbers. Additionally, the normal cues that would cause queens to disperse may not happen. Researchers have documented that these massive colonies often have multiple queens. A normal yellow jacket nest is usually located in the ground or a cavity. It may peak at 4,000 to 5,000 workers that do not survive cold weather, leaving queens to disperse and form new colonies in the spring. The perennial yellow jacket nests that concern Ray bear little resemblance to normal colonies. “These perennial nests may be several feet wide and have many thousands of workers, far more than an average nest. We have found them attached to home exteriors and other places you might not expect to find yellow jackets. The most workers I have counted in a perennial nest is about 15,000 or about three to four times more than a normal nest,” said Ray, who is also a research fellow in Auburn University’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. “However, one nest in South Carolina was docu-
mented with more than 250,000 workers.” Large Numbers Ray believes that the state may see large numbers of perennial nests this year. “We confirmed two nests in May and have indications of a third,” he said. “This puts us several weeks earlier than in 2006, when we identified the first giant nest on June 13. “If we are seeing them a month sooner than we did in 2006, I am very concerned that there will be a large number of them in the state. The nests I have seen this year already have more than 10,000 workers and are expanding rapidly.” In 2006, nests were located in multiple counties with the most northern location occurring in Talladega County. Important Tips Ray offers important tips for people who think they may have a giant yellow jacket colony on their property. “First and foremost, do not disturb the nest,” Ray said. “While these giant nests often appear less aggressive than smaller colonies, it is important that people do not disturb the nests.” Next, Ray wants people to contact him so he can document the nest and collect insect specimens. People should contact him by email at raychah@ auburn.edu. Finally, if people need to have nests removed, Ray says it is a task only for licensed commercial pest control operators. He warns that even some commercial operators will not tackle these giant perennial yellow jacket nests. National Forage Week This week across the country people are highlighting the importance and impact forages have on agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System joins in this effort by providing livestock producers with many resources that deal with the establishment as well as the management
of forages. Kim Mullenix, an Alabama Extension animal science and forage specialist, said Alabama Extension is a hub for those wanting information on forages. “Our Alabama Extension website is a central resource for farmers who have an interest in learning more about improving their forage production and want to stay up-todate on management tips during the year,” Mullenix said. Resources With summer just around the corner, here is a list of forage resources that are great for producers to have during this time of year. • Bahiagrass Management - https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ • Broomsedge: What Causes It In Pastures? How Can I Get Rid of It? - https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ • Brunswickgrass: A Weed in Southern Pastures & Bahiagrass Seed Fields - https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ • Collecting Forage Samples for Laboratory Analysis - https:// u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ wf/ • Control of Blackberry and Dewberry in Pastures and Hayfields - https:// u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ wf/ • Forage Risk Management: Subsidized Insurance as a Strategy - https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ • Forage Systems for Cow-Calf Operations in Central Alabama - https:// u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ wf/ • Forage Systems for Cow-Calf Operations in North Alabama - https:// u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ wf/ • Forage Systems for Cow-Calf Operations in South Alabama - https:// u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ wf/ • Johnsongrass: Frequently Asked Questions -https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ • Thistle Control in Pastures and Hayfields
-https://u7061146. ct.sendgrid.net/wf/ “Forages represent one of our greatest resources for economical livestock production in Alabama, and management is critical for sustainability in the industry,” Mullenix said. Mullenix is also an assistant professor in Auburn University’s animal science department. Alabama Extension has many more resources dealing with forages. All of these and more can be found by visiting www. alabamaforages.com. Also, the American Forage and Grassland Council provides information throughout National Forage Week. Visit www. nationalforageweek.org for more information. Farmers Preparing for Drought Conditions While recent rains were welcome, more than 34% of Alabama still faces abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. This has many livestock producers worried about providing their animals with enough to eat and drink. Landon Marks, an Alabama Extension animal science regional agent, said some northeastern Alabama areas are starting to see the effects of abnormally dry weather. “Water in main streams, ponds and wells are currently at normal levels, but some smaller streams in pastures are dry at this time,” Marks said. “At this point, livestock producers need to assess their stocking density and forage availability. This will allow them to plan for potential supplementation or selling of livestock so the forages meet the needs of the animals grazing.” The following are several things livestock producers should be aware of when facing drought conditions. Meet Animals’ Water Needs Cattle can survive for days without food and weeks to months with limited food. However, Alabama Extension veterinarian Soren Rodning,
said when it comes to water, it is a more critical need for livestock. “Cattle can only survive a few days without consuming water because of the limited amount of water in their rumen,” Rodning said. He is also an associate professor in Auburn University’s Department of Animal Sciences. “This water quickly runs out. Cattle must have access to fresh, clean water on a daily basis.” Check water sources in pastures on a daily basis to ensure animals have enough clean, fresh water. Adult cattle consume 10 to 25 gallons of water per day. A lactating animal’s water requirements may increase by 50% during hot weather. If using watering tanks, producers might want to install float levels. This way water levels can be checked from a distance rather than having to walk or drive to the tank to check. Check Fencing When forage and water are limited in a pasture, cattle are much more likely to escape fencing in search of food and water. Producers should check fences regularly for downed or damaged places. Rodning said this is especially important if the pastures border roads or highways. Avoid Livestock Poisoning Many forages become limited during drought. In the search for food, animals may graze on plants not normally eaten. Some of these plants, such as perilla mint and wild cherry trees, are toxic and can cause death. Other plants, not normally toxic, may contain concentrated amounts of nitrates and become harmful. Kim Mullenix, an Alabama Extension beef specialist, said nitrate poisoning is likely during time of drought. “Nitrates can accumulate during periods of stress in plant growth,” Mullenix said. “In the Southeast, problems are most likely to be encoun-
tered with warm-season grass crops such as bermudagrass or a summer annual forage.” For more information about nitrate poisoning, read the Extension publication Nitrate Poisoning of Cattle in Alabama, ANR-0112. Protection from Heat An important step for producers is protecting livestock from the extreme heat. Temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit mixed with high humidity and direct sun exposure, can cause problems. Rodning said livestock must have an adequate amount of shade. “If pastures lack wooded areas, producers may need to construct open shelters to give animals a shady resting spot,” Rodning said. “Provide enough shade to allow animals to spread out and cool off. If animals are too crowded in the shade, they will not be able to cool themselves sufficiently.” Parasite Control Controlling parasites is important during droughts. Proper control reduces the stress and nutritional needs of livestock. As pastures dry up during the summer, the numbers of worm larvae living on the blades of grass will greatly decrease. However, as cattle graze, they still may ingest some parasite larvae. The parasites will then grow to the adult stage in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract. This is particularly true when cattle graze more closely to the ground. More Information The United States Drought Monitor website is an excellent tool to stay informed about dry conditions in the state and region. Alabama Extension has several publications that can assist producers during times of drought: Water Requirements of Beef Cattle, ANR-2436 Drinking Water for Livestock, ANR-2381 Stocking Rates for Cow-Calf Operations in Alabama, ANR-2554.
Opelika E vents, Society, & Food
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: • June 28 - Showing of Disney’s ‘Coco’ at Municipal Park • July 3 - Opelika’s 67th annual ‘Freedom Day Celebration’ at Opelika High School • July 4 - Auburn’s annual ‘Independence Day Celebration’ at Duck Samford Park
Watts family enjoys gardening for fresh summer vegetables Ann Cipperly’s
Southern
Hospitality
L
ocated in a country setting on Society Hill Road, the home of Claire and James Watts provides spacious grounds for a garden, blueberry and scuppernong bushes and fruit trees. Now that they are both retired, the Watts enjoy working in the garden and spending time with grandchildren. Claire and James call their garden “Fort Knox,” as it has a wire on the lower part to keep rabbits out and netting around it to prevent deer from getting to the garden. Their garden includes several kinds of pep-
pers and tomatoes with Cherokee purples and Early Girl being their favorites, green beans, butter beans, squash and zucchini. They also have scuppernong vines and blueberry bushes, as well as fruit trees. Claire enjoys cooking fresh vegetables from the garden and making fruit desserts. During summer, they will have meatless meals with garden fresh vegetables and cornbread. James makes scuppernong and blueberry wines, which is a long process. They also use the scuppernongs for
snacks, and Claire makes jelly. When the figs are ripe, Claire will make preserves or cook them down to serve at breakfast. She is sharing her recipe for pear honey, which is her favorite to make with fresh pears. Pies and other desserts are created from apples from trees on the property. Claire grew up in Goodwater, and her family moved to Wedowee when she was in the 11th grade. While her family didn’t have a garden, a farmer came to their home every week to sell
Photo by Ann Cipperly Claire and James Watts enjoy having a garden and growing blueberries and other fruits. They are pictured in the garden with their grandson, Holden Watts. Claire is sharing favorite vegetable and fruit recipes.
fresh vegetables. Her mother, who grew up on a farm, would get peas that they would shell and freeze. Her mother had a fondness for cooking southern food and also made small yeast rolls every day. Claire met James in Wedowee, and they began dating in high school. After graduating, Claire attended Montevallo where she received
a degree in home economics. After they married and moved to Opelika, she attended Auburn University where she received a degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree. Claire taught school in Lafayette for four years and then taught kindergarten in Opelika schools, including Carver and Southview for 21 years. James has retired from being a letter carrier
in Opelika. The Watts have three sons and seven grandchildren. Tim and his wife Julie live in Notasulga and have a 2-yearold son, J.D., named after his two grandfathers, James and David. Brett and Michelle live in Jacksonville, Florida and have three children, Layla, 11, Aubrey, nine and Holden, six. Kevin See Cipperly, page A9
‘Heart of Waverly Barbeque’ slated O Town Ice Cream to host two for July 13 at Standard Deluxe family events June 27 and 30 By Morgan Bryce Editor Enjoy culinary creations from some of the area’s best barbecue masters at the ‘Heart of Waverly Barbeque’ July 13 from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Standard Deluxe. Participating barbecue chefs include Mark Coxwell from Butcher Paper BBQ, Brian Cosby from Cosby-Q Catering and Rob McDaniel from Springhouse Restaurant.
In addition to barbecue, there will be art and farm vendors selling their wares and produce during the event as well as live music performed by the following artists: -Channing Wilson -Cecil Allen Moore -Michelle Malone -Adam Hood -Tony Brook -Lew Card -Davis Nix. Gates and barbecue are available at 11 a.m. and showtime is set for noon. Tickets for the rain-or-shine
event cost $20 and can be purchased online at www.standarddeluxe.com. Patrons are encouraged to select will call when purchasing the tickets and they will say their name at the will call booth on the day of the event to receive a wristband. The Backyard of Auburn, Franklin Tire and Auto, Distinct Home Inspection, Wickle’s Pickles, The Waverly Local, ALABAMA Sawyer, Klein See Waverly, page A9
By Morgan Bryce Editor
O Town is looking to bring families together in the sweetest way possible with two events later this month. Daddy Daughter Date Night on June 27 and Mother Son Date Day on June 30 are events that reflect O Town’s culture and desired atmosphere according to O Town co-owner Angela George. “When you eat ice cream, you tend to
chill a little longer and sit. It’s a perfect way to spend face-to-face time with someone while enjoying a treat .... and I may even put up a sign that says ‘no cell phones unless you are taking a photo and upload when you get home,’” George said. “We love that O Town is a family place, date place and a meeting (spot) for different groups. It’s a place for everyone.” On Daddy Daugh-
ter Date Night beginning at 6 p.m., patrons can expect “a night of show tunes” and specially themed sundaes. There will be games on the grass, picnic table seating out front and rocking chairs under the shop’s pavilion. Superheroes are encouraged to wear their favorite costume, T-shirt and accessories for Mother Son Date Day. Beginning at 2 p.m. there will be superhero-themed sundaes See OTown, page A9
Monday-Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM
pelika O Observer
A8 June 26, 2019
‘Vocals for Locals’ July 13 to benefit Community Foundation of East Alabama’s Tornado Relief Fund By Morgan Bryce Editor
Cottonseed Studios is holding a benefit concert for the Community Foundation of East Alabama’s Tornado Recovery Fund July 13 from 8 to 11 p.m. at The Railyard in downtown Opelika. “Vocals for Locals” will feature food from Drive-By Tacos and Wilton’s
Catering available for purchase and there will be an evening full of live music from some of the area’s best musicians. Following is a not-yet-finalized list of artists and bands slated to perform during the event: -Adam Hood -Brent Cobb -Brett McDaniels -BB Palmer -Chris Posey
-Dallas Dorsey -Davis Nix -LNLY WLVS -Mark True -Sylvia Rose Novak. Others will be announced in during the coming weeks. According to Cottonseed Studios Owner Richard Patton, “thanks to the generosity of all that are involved, 100% of all proceeds will go towards contin-
ued relief in our community through the (foundation).” Tickets are available for purchase via www.eventbrite.com and cost $20 each. For more information, follow the Vocals for Locals Facebook event page or visit www.cottonseedstudios.com. The venue is located at 706 N. Railroad Ave.
Buying or Selling?
Cipperly,
from A7
and Carrie reside in Opelika and have three sons, Carter, nine, Miles, seven and John, three. Claire enjoys cooking and is organized. She keeps a list when they run low on anything to avoid extra trips to the grocery store since they live in the country. “Having a degree in home economics in no way prepares one for country living or cooking,” Claire said.. “I was constantly amazed at the country life of my in-laws. I grew up shelling beans and peas and freezing and canning, but country life is composed of far more. “As a newly-wed attending graduate school in Auburn we were on a strict budget that allowed little meat. One Sunday after visiting my in-laws in rural Randolph County, we were offered a frozen rooster. They were poultry farmers and specialized in laying hens. A new shipment arrived with a few stray roosters. The roosters had been rounded up, necks rung, defeathered and placed in the freezer,” Claire said. “We both loved fried chicken, and I found a recipe in an extension cookbook. Unfortunately, no one told me not to fry a rooster. Their meat is stringy and tough to chew. We had to eat it several more times that week. Later, my mother-
in-law told me roosters were suited for dumplings and stews.” Claire admits with a smile that she had a few cooking mishaps, but she learned to be a good cook. The elegant zucchini and tomatoes recipe is a popular dish with family. Along with her vegetable recipes, James will grill vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. The Watts have been in a supper group for more than 30 years. The group started with progressive dinners, and now takes turns hosting every other month. When entertaining, Claire serves appetizers by their lovely pool area. From a dozen blueberry bushes, they will pick between 30 and 50 gallons a year. The blueberries are easy to freeze. After they are picked, she leaves them on the counter for a day to sweeten. Then, they are placed in zip-lock bags and frozen. They are washed when ready to use. Claire is sharing her mother’s coffee cake recipe with blueberries. The original recipe called for raisins, but she substituted blueberries, which works better. “I enjoyed teaching,” Claire said. “It was what I wanted to do, and it was fun. Now I enjoy reading, doing things with the grandchildren and working in the garden. I feel blessed.” Ann Cipperly can be reached at recipes@cipperly.com. See Recipes, page A9
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Opelika Charitable Giving Facts As the economy improves and confidence grows, charitable giving is making a comeback. Now could be a good time to evaluate giving and consider new ways to support the causes that you care about.
REASONS FOR GIVING A desire to be philanthropic, to create a legacy, sense of moral duty Tax minimization, asset management, estate planning Serving Retirees • families • small business Owners • Nonprofits • Individuals
Financial planning for today, for tomorrow, for life. 208 South 8th Street Opelika, AL 36801 www.investopelika.com Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Railroad Investment group is not a registered broker dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FDIC/SIPC.
Owners, RIG Financial Advisors, RJFS BLAKE HENRY LAUREL CALLAWAY Office - 334-748-9999 Fax - 334-748-9998
Call us today to discuss your charitable giving strategy Raymond James financial advisors do not render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professionals.
Located in Historic Downtown Opelika
334-745-4618
pelika O Observer
Local group provide gifts to fathers at Magnolia Nursing Home
Photo special to the Opelika Observer Sisters of Promise Chapter #442 Order of the Eastern star Delivers Father's Day gifts to all the male residents at Magnolia Nursing Home on June 15.
Waverly, from A7 Plumbing, Roth Homes and Modern Mitre are the event sponsors. For more information, call 334-826-6423 or visit the Standard Deluxe website. The venue is located at 1015 Mayberry Ave. in Waverly.
Recipes,
from A9 Sautéed Green Beans 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1/3 cup Vidalia onion 1/3 cup diced bell peppers 2 lbs. fresh green beans, whole Soy sauce Heat olive oil in iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and peppers until lightly brown. Add green beans and sauté until lightly brown. Add soy sauce to taste and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 10 minutes. Marinated Green Beans 2 lbs. fresh green beans, snapped and slightly cooked 2 cans kidney beans, drained 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 1 sweet onion, sliced Sauce: 1 cup sugar ¾ cup canola oil ¾ cup vinegar Layer first five ingredients. Heat sugar, oil and vinegar until sugar melts. Let this cool and then pour it over the vegetables. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Other garden combinations: cucumbers, sweet onions, and peppers, or squash, zucchini, basil, cherry tomatoes, sweet onion, and bell peppers Grilled Green Beans 2 lbs. fresh green beans, whole 1 sweet onion cut in strips 1 bell pepper, cut in strips Toss ingredients in 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Place in grilling pan and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt. Grill 5 minutes and stir. Repeat. Grill additional time if needed.
O Town, from A7 and “Wonder” waffle cones available for purchase. With July being “National Ice Cream Month,” George said patrons can expect multiple
Elegant Zucchini and Tomatoes 2 slices bacon 4 small zucchini, cut in ½ inch slices 4 small yellow squash, cut in ½ inch slices ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced 1 pinch salt 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges 10 fresh basil leaves ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup crumbled Parmesan Place bacon in large iron skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and return to the pan. Add zucchini, yellow squash, onion and salt to the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is tender-crisp. Add tomato wedges, basil and ground black pepper. Heat until tomatoes are warm. Top with crumbled Parmesan. Squash Dressing 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stick butter 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups cooked squash, drained and mashed (broth reserved) 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 cups crumbled cornbread ½ tsp. dry celery seed Salt and pepper to taste Sauté onion in butter until onion is tender. In a large bowl combine onion mixture and eggs, mixing well. Add squash, soup, cornbread and seasonings and mix well, adding enough reserved squash broth to moisten well. Pour into a greased 1 ½ qt. casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees
Fireworks, from A1 delivery of the American flag by the Silver Wing Parachute Teams and the one of the area’s largest fireworks shows starting at dusk. According to a previous interview with Opelika Parks and Recreation’s Public Relations Coordinator Laura Leigh Chesser, this event is a “can’t miss” for Opelika and Lee County residents alike. “There’s no planning, cleaning house or cooking food. People can just show up with their family and a quilt and kick back
events, including a rare summertime visit with Santa during “Sweet Treats with Santa.” For more information, call 334-737-5700, or like and follow their social media pages. The shop is located at 700 2nd Ave. in Opelika.
for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Bow Ties with Pesto and Tomatoes Pesto: 5 big handfuls of basil leaves ¾ cup walnuts Juice of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic, peeled Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil Pasta salad: 1 lb. bowtie pasta ¾ cup pesto (from recipe above) ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Pesto directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend until pesto is thick and smooth. Pasta directions: Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta. Run under cold water just until it stops steaming. Drain water. Dump pasta into serving bowl. Stir in pesto until pasta is coated. Add tomatoes and feta. Season with salt and pepper. Zucchini Bread 3 cups grated zucchini 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup coconut 1 cup canola oil 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 3 cups flour 1 tsp. cinnamon Using a mixer stir together first 8 ingredients. Sift remaining ingredients and add slowly to zucchini mixture. Place dough in 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour to 1
A9 June 26, 2019 and enjoy music, skydivers and fireworks,” Chesser said. “You really can’t beat that. It’s a great atmosphere, and you’re bound to have a great time.” Event admission is free. For more information, visit www.opelika.org/opr. The school is located at 1700 Lafayette Parkway. Auburn’s Independence Day Celebration Duck Samford Park will be the site of Auburn’s annual “Independence Day Celebration” on July 4, starting at 5 p.m. Sponsored by the city of Auburn’s Parks and Recreation Department and Briggs and Stratton,
the free event will feature children’s activities, food, live music from DJ K. Cole and Open the Skye, along with a top-notch fireworks display. As a reminder to the public, the parking lot off Airport Road will be closed to the public to accommodate for the fireworks shoot site. However, there will be parking available off East University Drive next to the Old Duck Fields. In case of rain, the event will be pushed back to July 5 with a fireworks show starting at 9 p.m. For more information, visit news.auburnalabama. org. The park is located at 1720 E. University Drive.
Photo special to the Opelika Observer hour and 15 minutes. Blueberry Muffins 3 cups self-rising flour 2 eggs ½ cup sugar ½ cup canola oil 1 ¼ cups corn flakes (or bran flakes) 2 cups milk 2 cups blueberries Mix ingredients together and place in lightly oiled muffin tins. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins. Blueberry Cobbler ¼ cup soft butter or margarine ½ cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt ½ cup milk 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries ¼ cup sugar Mix butter, ½ cup sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk together in 2 qt. casserole dish; smooth out top of dough. Pour blueberries on top and ½ cup water. Sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Apple/Blueberry Coffee Cake Combine: 1 stick melted margarine 2 ¼ cups flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 ½ tsp. baking soda 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon ¾ tsp. salt 1 ½ tsp. vanilla 2 chopped apples (large) 2 eggs 1 ¼ cups blueberries Place in greased and floured 9x13 inch dish. Mix the following and place on top of the batter: 1 stick melted margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 ½ cups uncooked
old fashioned oatmeal Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Alabama Apple Wraps 4 apples, peeled, cored and halved 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls Sauce: 1 cup of orange juice 1 cup sugar ½ stick margarine 1 tsp. vanilla Unwrap rolls and separate. Wrap each apple half with a pastry roll. Place in 9x11 baking dish. In small saucepan heat sauce and pour over wrapped apples. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Pear Honey 8 cups (about 3 lbs.) peeled, cored and chopped pears One 20 oz. can crushed pineapple with syrup 10 cups sugar 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 pkg. Sure Jell Mix all ingredients and cook until pears and tender and mixture thickens. Place in sterilized jars and seal while still hot. Makes about 8 pints. Sweet and Sour Green Beans 28 oz. Italian green beans Chopped onion Bacon, fried crisp and crumbled Sauce: ½ cup vinegar ½ cup sugar 3 Tbsp. bacon fat Layer beans with onion and bacon; repeat layers. Pour slightly heated sauce over beans. Cover and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight and reheat to serve.
Food Ratings Barberito’s 1619 Opelika Road Auburn Score: 100 Cakeitecture Bakery 124 S. 8th St. Opelika Score: 100 Wendy’s 1002 2nd Ave. Opelika Score: 99 Subway 1550 Opelika Road Auburn Score: 99 Krispy Kreme 1600 Opelika Road Auburn Score: 98 Philly Connection Food Truck 2328 S. College St. Auburn Score: 98 One Bike Coffee 2415 Moore’s Mill Road Auburn Score: 98 Burger King 415 2nd Ave. Opelika Score: 98
Opelika
A10
Family & Religion
June 26, 2019
Silent Night, Holy Night I
Hunley Group Lambert Transfer & Storage An Interstate Agent for North American Van Lines 1102 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36803 745-5706
f you live in the South you know this, but if you grew up in the South you understand it’s a way of life. You take it for granted that with spring comes azaleas, dogwoods, pollen and bad weather. Fierce thunderstorms and occasional tornadoes dot our existence. Every so often, they result in the tragic loss of life. More times than not though, they blow through and down a few trees and maybe damage some property. But the truth is, you never know what they will do so when you hear there is a tornado warning, the smart thing to do is to seek shelter and wait it out. You find something to do while you wait,
but you always have one eye or one ear on the news to see what is going on—because you never know for sure. I think this was something like the Passover night for Israel. They were different than us in they absolutely knew they were safe (due to the blood of the lamb), but it was nonetheless a night like no other. The Egyptian houses were filled with the mournful cries of those bereaved of loved ones, while inside the Israelite homes they huddled in holy silence where not even a dog barked (Exodus 11:6-7). The contrast could not have been starker. That was precisely Yahweh’s desire as the nation waited the night out (v. 7).
By Bruce Green Teaching Minister at 10th Street Church of Christ in Opelika
It was part of a month like no other—the month in which the events of the Passover occurred was from then on to be “the first month of your year” (12:1). Four hundred and thirty years of living in Egypt was about to come to an end. The culminating years of this era were lived under oppression of forced labor, beatings and infanticide. Moses, Aaron and the plagues
Church calendar • Pepperell Baptist’s youth program meets on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. This is an evening of prayer, Bible Study, and discussion. For more information, contact youth and children’s pastor Ryno Jones if you need more information at 334-7453108. • The James Brown Trio will perform at Pepperell Baptist Church July 7, beginning at 6 p.m. The evening will feature great music, fun and
Catch ‘On the Mark’ with D. Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser weekday mornings from 7-9 a.m.
ANGLICAN Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd 1311 Second Ave. #758-6749 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Bridge Church 1000 Lee Road 263, Cusseta #742-0144 AME Mount Zion AME Church West Point Hwy #749-3916 St. Luke AME Church 1308 Auburn St. #749-1690 St. Paul AME Church 713 Powledge Ave. #745-6279 Thompson Chapel AME Zion 187 Columbus Pkwy #749-8676 BAPTIST Abundant Life Baptist Church 1220 Fox Run Ave. Suite B #7064421464 Airview Baptist Church 2301 Airport Rd. #745-6670 Antioch Baptist Church 605 W. East Morton Ave #742-0696 Bethesda Baptist Church 201 S. 4th St. #745-7528 Bethel Baptist Church Hwy. 29 Sasser Rd #745-4865 Central Baptist Church 1611 2nd Ave. #745-2482 Community Baptist Church 154 N. 16th St. #745-6552 Cornerstone Missionary Baptist 500 N. Railroad Ave. #742-2008 Eastview Baptist Church 1208 Spring Dr #749-9595 Farmville Baptist Church 3607 Alabama Hwy N. #887-7361 First Baptist Church of Opelika
fellowship. For more information, call 334745-3108. The church is located at 2702 Second Ave. • Registration for Farmville Baptist Church’s First Steps Preschool program for fall 2019 is now open to the public. For more information or to register, call 334-887-7361 or visit them at 3607 Alabama Highway 147 N. in Auburn.
Fresh Foods...And A Whole Lot More!
603 Pleasant Pleasant Drive 603 Drive Opelika, AL Opelika, AL 36801 749-1333 Mon- Sat7am 7am-8pm Mon-Sat - 8pm Sun 12pm-6pm Sun 12pm - 6pm
would never return. But they would carry with them more than four centuries of experiences handed down from generation to generation. And they would never forget this, their night of deliverance. The meal they had taken would be observed every year to remind them of this very moment. And then one day about 1,500 years later, a Jewish teacher would gather in an upper room with His twelve disciples and tell them the Passover was being fulfilled in His approaching reign (Luke 22:15-16)! You can find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: atasteofgracewithbrucegreen.com.
Verse of the Week “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also
Events can be emailed to the Observer at editor@opelikaobserver.com.
314 S. 9th St. #745-6143 First Baptist Church 301 S. 8th St. #745-5715 First Baptist Church Impact 709 Avenue E #741-0624 First Freewill Baptist Church 103 19th St. #703-3333 Friendship Missionary Baptist 432 Maple Avenue #742-0105 Greater Peace Baptist Church 650 Jeter Ave. #749-9487 Heritage Baptist Church 1103 Glenn St. #363-8943 High Hope Baptist Church 227 Lee Road 673 Liberty Baptist Church 2701 West Point Pkwy #749-9632 Love Freewill Baptist Church 1113 Frederick Ave. #745-2905 Ridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church 1098 Lee Road 155 #334-745-3600 Northside Baptist Church 3001 Lafayette Hwy #745-5340 Pepperell Baptist Church 2702 2nd Ave. #745-3108 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Uniroyal Rd #749-2773 Providence Baptist Church 2807 Lee Rd 166 #745-0807 Purpose Baptist Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #704-0302 St. James Baptist Church 1335 Auburn St. #745-3224 Union Grove Missionary Baptist 908 Huguley Rd #741-7770 BUDDHIST Buddha Heart Village 3170 Sandhill Rd. #821-7238
had given them hope of something better and Yahweh’s word to Moses was that the death of the firstborn would bring them the deliverance they longed for. They were ready to leave. They had chosen their lambs or goats on the tenth of the month. They had killed them four days later. Their blood now marked the door frames of their homes. They had eaten the Passover meal in haste, burned the leftover portion of meat and now they sat in silence. The stillness of the night was broken only by the wailing from the houses occupied by the Egyptians. Soon, they would leave Egypt. They
CATHOLIC St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1000 4th Ave. #749-8359 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ 2215 Marvyn Pkwy #742-9721 10th Street Church of Christ 500 N. 10th St. #745-5181 Southside Church of Christ 405 Carver Ave. #745-6015 Church of Christ 2660 Cunningham Drive #745-6377 CHURCH OF GOD Airview Church of God 3015 Old Opelika Rd #749-9112 Church of God 114 17th Place #7496432 Tabernacle Church of God 3 Oak Court #745-7979 CHURCH OF NAZARENE Opelika Church of Nazarene 1500 Bruce Ave. #749-1302 EPISCOPAL Emmanuel Episcopal Church 800 1st Ave. #745-2054 HOLINESS Eastside Emmanuel Holiness Church 86 Lee Road 186 Opelika, Ala. 36804 JEWISH Beth Shalom Congregation 134 S. Cary Dr. #826-1050 LATTERDAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints 510 Groce St. #742-9981 METHODIST First United Methodist Church of Opelika 702 Avenue A #745-7604 Hopewell United Methodist 1993 Lee Rd 136 #745-0460
give us everything else?”
Romans 8:31-32 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 8685 AL Hwy. 51 #749-4469 Pepperell United Methodist 200 26th St. #745-9334 Trinity United Methodist Church 800 Second Ave. #745-2632 Wesley Memorial United Methodist 2506 Marvyn Pkwy #745-2841 PENTECOSTAL Full Gospel Pentecostal Church Hwy. 29, PO Box 1691 #741-8675 Gateway Community Church 2715 Frederick Rd #745-6926 PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church of Opelika 900 2nd Ave. #745-3421 Trinity Presbyterian Church 1010 India Rd #745-4889 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Outreach Seventh-Day Adventist 1808 S. Long St. #749-3151 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Apostolic Holiness Church 610 Canton St. #749-6759 Auburn Opelika Korean Church 1800 Rocky Brook Rd #749-5386 Beauregard Full Gospel Revival 2089 Lee Road 42 #745-0455 Christ Church International 1311 2nd Ave. #745-0832 Church of the Harvest 2520 Society Hill Rd #745-2247 Church at Opelika 1901 Waverly Pkwy #705-0505 East Congregation of Jehovah Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. #737-1488 Emmanuel Temple of Deliverance 207 S. Railroad Ave. #745-6430 Faith Alliance Church 3211 Waverly Pkwy #749-9516 Faith Christian Center 600 S. 8th St. Faith Church 3920 Marvyn Pkwy #707-3922
Family Life Christian Center 601 S. 7th St. #741-7013 Father’s House Christian Fellowship 214 Morris Ave. #749-1070 Fellowship Bible Church 2202 Hamilton Rd #749-1445 Ferguson Chapel Church 310 S. 4th St. #745-2913 First Assembly of God Church 510 Simmons St. #749-3722 Garden of Gethsemane Fellowship 915 Old Columbus Rd #745-2686 Grace Heritage Church Opelika #559-0846 Holy Deliverance Church 831 S. Railroad #749-5682 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1250 McCoy St. #737-1488 Living Way Ministries 1100 Old Columbus Rd #749-6241 Move of God Fellowship Church 1119 Old Columbus Rd #741-1006 Connect Church 2900 Waverly Pkwy #749-3916 New Life Christian Center 2051 West Point Pkwy #741-7373 New Life Independent Church 10 Meadowview Estates Trailer 741-9001 Opelika’s First Seventh Day 2011 Columbus Pkwy #737-3222 Power of Praise, Inc. Church 3811 Marvyn Pkwy #745-6136 Shady Grove Christian Church West Point Hwy #745-7770
pelika O Observer Auburn Church of Christ to host ‘Splash Canyon’ VBS this weekend
A11
June 26, 2019
Special to the Opelika Observer
Auburn Church of Christ will host Vacation Bible School this weekend. The church is located at 712 S. College St. in Auburn. Life is filled with rough waters and smooth sailing, but God is with us all the way! Join Grace Town as they visit ‘Splash Canyon’ this weekend to
discover God's Promise on Life's Wild Ride. Grace Town's VBS runs June 28 -30. There will be classes for children from birth to completed fifth (5th) grade. There will be an adult class on Sunday morning at 9:30 am and worship service at 10:30 am. Schedule: VBS runs from Friday to Sunday. Each day's
schedule is slightly different, so here's the overview: • June 28 - dinner at 5:15 p.m. - VBS from 6 to 8 p.m. • June 29 - VBS @ 9 to 11:30 a.m. - lunch at 11:30 a.m. - splash experience from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. • June 30 - VBS from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
(VBS runs concurrently to the adult bible class and morning worship) - adult bible class starts at 9:30 a.m. - morning worship starts at 10:30 a.m. - family fellowship luncheon immediately following close of worship/VBS Follow Grace Town on Facebook: GRACETOWNATACOC to stay updated with VBS news.
OBITUARIES Mary Sue Goolsby McCall
Mary Celia Jones Whatley
To honor her wishes to the very end, Mary Sue Goolsby McCall was buried in Garden Hills Cemetery, Opelika, Alabama, at 3:00 in the afternoon on June 17, 2019, in a private graveside service. She was laid to rest next to her husband of 55 years, James L. McCall, who predeceased her in 2004. The service was officiated by Pastor David Floyd. Mary Sue was born on October 2, 1931, in Autauga County, AL. She passed away at Oak Park Nursing Home, Auburn, AL, early in the morning of Monday, June 17, 2019. She is survived by her six children: Jim (Charlene), Mark, Kash (Debbie), Paul (Beth), Merry (Mark), and Alice. Also surviving her are seven grandchildren: Ashley (Emillie), Cliff (Amanda), Lauren, Nathan (Ansley), Alison (Stewart), Amy, and Emma. And her three great-grandchildren: Caden, Hailey, and Isabella. Her family will always cherish the memories of her Thanksgiving dressing, fried chicken, blackeyed peas and cornbread, Brunswick stew, working on crypto quote and crossword puzzles, and her strong work-ethic. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home and Crematory directed. www.jeffcoattrant. com
Mary Celia Jones Whatley passed away on Wednesday, June 19, 2019. She was born on August 28, 1936 in Montgomery, Alabama. She was preceded in death by her parents Cecil C Jones and Mary Boroughs Jones. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Stuart; her four children, Warren (Cathy) Whatley, Rebecca Brown, Craig (Elizabeth) Whatley, and Teresa (Shane) Owens; her eight grandchildren; Mary Katherine Whatley, Olivia Whatley, Myles McDevitt, Mary Stuart McDevitt, Hunter Whatley, Noah Whatley, Chase Betty Jean Isler Wise We celebrate the going home of Betty Jean Isler Wise to forever feast at the Master’s table. She is only absent from the body so that she may be forever with her Lord. She is preceded in
Owens, and Mason Owens, and her sister, Dannie (Jerry) McClurg. Mary Celia graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. Her love of music, particularly the piano, led her to initially enroll in the Music department of Auburn University, but she said she quickly learned that her piano playing was not as good as she thought! She changed her major to Mathematics, eventually earning a Masters degree. Mary Celia’s teaching career at Lee Academy and Opelika High School spanned over 40 years teaching Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus. Her genuine
love of her students and her dedication to her craft were evident many years after she retired from teaching. She would rarely go out in the Opelika area and not hear, “Hey Mrs. Whatley!” “Remember me, I had you…” Those greetings were always met with a warm smile and a quick hug followed by, “of course I remember you!” She really did remember because she cared so deeply for her students. She also loved her family with all her heart and in particular her 8 grandchildren. She embraced all their various personalities and talents with equal enthusiasm. She loved going to music recitals and
death by her husband, James Donald Wise, and a son, Billy James Wise. Mrs. Wise is survived by a son, Donnie Gene Wise (Rosemary), and a daughter, Jeannie Wise Jernigan (Ray). She is also survived by 6 grandchildren, 5 great-
grandchildren, and 3 sisters. Visitation was at Frederick-Dean Funeral Home in the parlor at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019 with a graveside service following at Garden Hills Cemetery at 11 a.m. Frederick-Dean Funeral Home directed.
Please send your loved one’s obituary for publication to editor@opelikaobserver.com
space camp, cheerleading competitions, football and baseball games, and swim meets, entertaining them at the lake or at her home in Auburn. She lived to serve others as evidenced by her hospitality and graciousness. She was a longstanding member of Trinity United Methodist Church and various lady’s bible study groups and her favorite verse was Galatians 5:22-23; “But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. Against such things there is no law.” Mary Celia’s life was a living testimony of each of Deborah Sheridan Barker Mrs. Deborah Sheridan Barker, 67, of Opelika passed away June 20, 2019. Visitation was held Monday, June 24, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home and Crematory. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at Garden Hills Cemetery located in Opelika. Mrs. Barker was a native of Lee County and lived her entire life in Opelika.
these God-given characteristics of having a spirit that bears much fruit for His Glory. There was a memorial service on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 10 a.m. CST at Trinity United Methodist Church with Reverend Earl Ballard officiating. Visitation followed the memorial service in the fellowship hall of Trinity United Methodist Church. There was a family graveside service prior to the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church building fund 800 2nd Ave Opelika, AL 36801. Frederick-Dean Funeral Home directed. She was retired from Auburn University. She was preceded in death by her husband of 46 yeas, John Barker. She is survived by her children: Kara Barker, Brandon Barker (Heather), Patrick Barker; mother: Nellie C. Sheridan; siblings: Tim Sheridan, Steve Sheridan, Karen Golden; 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home and Crematory directing.
pelika Observer O
A12 June 26, 2019
Community Calendar: Events around town
• June 26 - “Mediation: The Swiss Army Knife of Conflict Resolution” Seminar • June 27 - Kathy Powell - State Farm Insurance Casino Night from 5 tp 7 p.m. • July 10 - 78th Annual Meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ongoing: • Village Friends/Village Values is a nonprofit organization that supports seniors who prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older. For info or to schedule a presentation to your group, call 334209-4641. For the website, Google “village friends village values.” • The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR chapter is appealing for sweaters, jackets, trousers, shirts and socks, women’s clothing, soft soap in individual containers, shaving supplies, disposable razors, denture cleanser, toothpaste and toothbrushes, DVDs, games, books and magazines to take to veterans at the CAVHCS in Tuskegee. The Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR Chapter regularly visits veterans living in assisted living, the homeless domiciliary and psych (trauma) ward in Tuskegee. Donations are tax deductible and will be much appreciated. Pick up is provided. Please call Linda Shabo at 887-6659 or at 256-3071449. Mondays: • The Lee County Voters League meets the first Mondays of the month at 6 p.m. at Bethesda Baptist Church located at 201 S. 4th Street, Opelika • The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary meets the third Monday at 7 p.m. at 910 West Point Parkway in Opelika.
• The Opelika Community Band practices from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Auburn High School band room. Everyone is welcome, amateurs and professionals alike. • Smiths Station Military Chapter of Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) meets weekly at Mike & Ed’s at 5 p.m. For more information, call 297-5581 or visit www.nonukesforiran.org. • The Touched by Suicide Support Group meets the first Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at the East Alabama Medical Center Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway. For more information, contact Deborah Owen, EAMC’s director of Psychiatric Services at 334-528-4197 or deborahowen@eamc.org. • The fourth Monday of each month a Community Grief Support Group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center. No reservations are necessary; everyone is welcome. For more information call 8261899 or 502-0216. • T.O.P.S (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), a weight loss support group, meets every Monday night from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Covington Recreation Center, 213 Carver Ave., Opelika. For more info contact Mary Johnson, 749-1584. • The Lee County Commission meets the second and last Mondays of each
month at the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m. • The Commercial Horticulture Extension Team organizes webinars to provide quick updates for producers on various topics of interest. Whether you are interested in the proper way to plant fruit trees or have questions in turf management, these webinars cover a wide range of subjects. Webinars are streamed live via Panopto on the last Monday of every month starting in January and ending in November. During the presentation, participants can send questions via email. The webinars also are recorded and stored in the archive on the Beginning Farmer website. Webinar topics include: trap cropping for reducing squash insect pests, cowpea curculio updates, nutsedge control, introduction to potting mixes in ornamental container production, dealing with drought in commercial horticulture crops, and many more. To view the full schedule, please visit www.aces. edu/anr/beginningfarms/ webinars.php. Please send questions during the presentations to Ann Chambliss, thameae@auburn. edu. For questions regarding the webinar series or for providing suggestions, please email Dr. Ayanava Majumdar at bugdoctor@ auburn.edu. Tuesdays: • Ballroom Dance Classes at the Opelika
Upcoming Events • June 29 - Bandy Park Day • July 1- Lee County Voters League will meet at 6 p.m. at Bethesda Baptist Church, which is located at 201 S. 4th St. in Opelika. Eddie Compton from Alabama Unite will address the Voters League on coordinating with other organisations working
toward similar ends/goals. • July 3 - The city of Opelika’s 67th annual “Freedom Celebration” will be held July 3 at 6 p.m. at Opelika High School. Admission is free. • July 4 - The city of Auburn’s “Independence Day Celebration” will be held July 4 at Duck Samford Park, beginning
at 5 p.m. • July 13 - “Vocals for Locals,” a fundraiser for the Community Foundation of East Alabama’s Tornado Relief Fund, will be held at The Railyard in downtown Opelika from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through www.eventbrite. com.
Sportsplex from 7 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday. Instructor is Cody Wayne Foote. For more info call Diane at 749-6320. • The East Alabama Old Car Club meets every first Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Monarch Estates Clubhouse, located at 1550 East University Drive, Auburn. A program of interest to the old car enthusiast is presented. Car ownership is not required. • The Opelika City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are preceded by nonvoting work sessions that typically begin about 6:30 to 6:45 p.m. • Every second Tuesday, a country, gospel and bluegrass music jam session is held at Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church in Beauregard. The event is free and open to the public. Those who play an instrument should bring it and plan to join in. The jam session is held from 6 to 8 p.m. 8685 AL Highway 51. • A Grief Support Group meets at Oak Bowery United Methodist Church Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. for anyone dealing with the pain of loss and feeling the need for support on their journey as they attempt to bring order and wholeness back into their life. Attendance and participation is strictly voluntary for any and all sessions. There are no fees or charges involved. The church is located on U.S. Highway 431 – eight miles north from Southern Union State Community College and Opelika High School. For more information contact Bill Parker at 459-0214 or 706-5189122. • The Auburn Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Auburn University Regional Airport. The Civil Air Patrol is a nonprofit organization that is Congressionally chartered to be the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force and fo-
cuses on three missions: aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services. For more information visit www.auburncap.org or find the organization on Facebook. • East Alabama Gem & Mineral Society meet the 4th Tuesday of every month at 5:45 p.m. Meetings are held at the Covington Rec. Center located at 213 Carver Ave. in Opelika. Wednesdays: • The second Wednesday of each month a Community Grief Support Group meets from 10 to 11 a.m. at the EAMC Health Resource Center. No reservations are necessary. For more info call 826-1899 or 502-0216. • The John Powell American Legion Post 18 and Auxiliary hosts Bingo every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. • Every Wednesday is Wine Down Wednesday at the Bottling Plant Event Center from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays: • American Legion Auxiliary Unit 152 meets the first Thursday of every month at 11 a.m. at Niffer’s Place, 917 S. Railroad Ave. in Opelika. • The Teal Magnolias Gynecological Cancer Support Group meets the second Thursday of every third month at 6 p.m. at EAMC Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway. For more information on the Teal Magnolias, email tealmagnoliasAL@yahoo.com or find them on Facebook. • Opelika-Auburn Newcomers’ Club provides a variety of programs for the betterment of the Auburn/ Opelika community to assist women transitioning into the area or to help women adjust to recent lifestyle changes. The club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. for a luncheon at various local restaurants. Please call or email Cheri Paradice at 334-7375215 or cheri.paradice@ gmail.com for more information or luncheon location of the month.
• T.O.U.C.H. Cancer Support Group meets the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at EAMC’s Health Resource Center. This is a support group for people living with any type of cancer or their families and friends. Call 334-528-1076 for more information. •After School Art Classes for Children & Youth Weekly Studio Classes featuring Drawing, Painting & More.. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 •Afternoon Art Classes for Adults featuring Studio Drawing, Painting & More.. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided Thursdays at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Evening Art Classes for Adults Fundamental Drawing Studio - Every Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Portrait Drawing Studio - portrait drawing classes for beginners, Every Wednesday 2 p.m. EST *all fine art supplies are provided The Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 • Senior Studio Art Classes Every Wednesday 11 a.m. EST *beginners are welcome *all fine art supplies are always provided - Enroll Today- 334-480-2008 Email editor@opelikaobserver.com to place your community events.
Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks to perform at Pebble Hill June 27 Special to the Opelika Observer The Sundilla Concert Series and Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities will team up to bring the Webb Wilder & the Beatnecks to Auburn. Whenever Webb Wilder shows up, a party breaks out. And this time, Webb's bringing the band! That will be too much energy for one building to hold, so they are taking this one outside. On June 27, Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks will perform outdoors at Pebble Hill. Showtime at Pebble Hill (101 S. Debardeleben, Auburn) is 7:30 p.m., and $20 advance tickets can be purchased at Spicer's Music, World Cup Coffee
Wilder and at sundillamusic.com; admission at the gate will be $25. There will be free
coffee, tea, water and See Sundilla, page A14
pelika Observer O
A13 June 26, 2019
An ‘Alabama Bucket List’: Chewacla
I
n the beginning, Chewacla was not on our bucket list. I thought, “everyone local knows about Chewacla. Why include it?” I shortly realized my own little Shep had never been to Chewacla, and he’s six years old. I also began to think of all the other local kids who had not yet had the opportunity to enjoy Chewacla. So this one is for Shep, and all the other kids and moms who need a convenient and adventuresome day out! My mother took us to Chewacla pretty regularly growing up. She’d pack a picnic, maybe a few towels and extra clothes and off we went. It was easy and simple and not a big fuss to get going. This is what I love about Chewacla today. It’s a grand adventure for kids with minimal effort and work from mom. Located in Auburn, Chewacla is a short drive for anyone. It’s the coolest bit of outdoor space in our own backyard. Whether you have just a couple hours of fun or spend an entire day, Chewacla will not disappoint. We began our Chewacla adventure just after lunch on a Thursday. I packed a simple bag with beach towels and a few snacks and drinks for the trip back home. It was the perfect day to go because there was no one there. I’m betting the weekends are much busier, so plan to take your family on a weekday. Another great bonus to Chewacla is easy access in and out. From the front entrance to the top of the hill to visit the waterfall is fewer than five minutes. We quickly paid our entrance of $8. The short drive up is a beautiful canopy of tall, luscious trees. We rolled our windows down and the kids were giddy with their heads out the window and hair in the wind. We arrived to an
open green space atop a small mountain. The kids jumped out, no time to waste when on the hunt for something new. The trail to the waterfall is easy to find and an easy stroll down hill. You can hear the gushing falls among the shade trees. My children are fast and there is no walking involved except by me. They scurried down the hill in less than two minutes, dodging large roots and swinging on tree limbs. I have always admired the way they own every space they come into. No holding back, taking it all in and living in the moment. When we arrived at the bottom, but we stop in our tracks at the beauty all around us. We have found a tropical oasis on the outskirts of our little town. Towering trees, rocks and beautiful rushing falls into pools and pools of fresh water. My kids’ shoes were off in seconds and in true Sissy fashion, I quickly spotted her in her bathing suit wading into the water. It’s a sight to see and a playground fit for anyone. Sissy and Shep jumped and skipped from rock to rock in search of the perfect space to explore and play. I followed behind, to enjoy their delight and make sure they don’t turn into daredevils, which usually ends up happening a time or two.
Bradley Robertson We parked it here at the falls for well over an hour, and they still didn’t want to leave. Sissy actually climbed into the falls and my heart was a nervous wreck. I watched as she maneuvered her little body on the rocks pouring over every edge with water. She loved it. She is an adventurous girl, learning to be in her skin and embracing the wonder inside her. Our next stop after the falls was the playground. I’m pretty sure my kids will never outgrow a playground. They are like little monkeys. They have to see and touch every little piece and find out all it’s fun for themselves. It always makes me laugh. This is a vintage park by the way, a special straight from the 70s. Maybe that’s why they like it so much. There are picnic tables everywhere and an excellent view of the swimming lake, which is in walking distance. After a good 20 minutes at the playground, I coaxed them towards
the lake for a swim. We walked over a wooden bridge and arrived lakeside within seconds. The lake was empty and still, but that didn’t last long. Sissy dove right in and quickly swam her way to the diving platform. They have a high-dive here that I’m guessing also dates back to the 60s or 70s. Sissy shimmied up, took a good long look and then jumped off. It’s very clean at Chewacla and the lake felt so good after our journey to the waterfall. Shep is forever cautious around water, but he eventually wiggled in, life jacket on. And low and behold, this kid amazed me and jumped off the high-dive. I could not believe it. One and done for him. He will do practically anything his sister tells him. Another bonus to
Chewacla, especially for adults and older children, are the bike paths. The park has worked hard the last few years to develop and grow this unique style of fun. Wooden paths, ramps and cycling through the forest are great for outdoor activities. My older kids have been often with their cousins and absolutely love it. What makes Chewacla so great is it is fit for any age groups of children, babies to teenagers. All the fun and activities are accessible by car, with short,
easy walks. All of the property is clean and well kept with plenty of picnic space. Campsites are well kept and Chewcla also has a small selection of cabins. Shep loved his first trip and the kids have already asked when we are going back. Next time, I’m planning to pack up food to grill out with the Farmer and Braxton. Chewacla is our own secret garden, away from the busy everyday life of parenting. Take time this summer to make a trip or two, your kids will thank you for it!
Photo by Bradley Robertson/Opelika Observer
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Opelika’s Dr. Frankie Bell discusses life experiences in new book, to host book signing at Bottling Plant Event Center July 15 By Morgan Bryce Editor Opelika resident and longtime educator Dr. Frankie Bell will be hosting a book signing of her first published work titled “Choose to Win” July 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bottling Plant Event Center. Self-published by Bell, the book starts with experiences from her impoverished childhood in Auburn and shows how they prepared her for adulthood. Choose to Win also chronicles one of Bell’s largest tests of faith and toughness, a 2010 pedestrian accident that left her severely injured and killed personal friend and mentor Dr. Marie Wooten. “I have a huge fol-
lowing on social media, and I want to use that and this book to show them that life isn’t as bad if you just get up,” Bell said. “I had 25 breaks, and I was in a wheelchair for almost a year after the accident, but I never let it stop me. In that situation, I was given a choice to win or fail ... and I chose to win.” Reviews on Amazon described Bell’s work as “life-changing.” “After reading her book, I was just overcome with how good God has been to me, even when I was trying to run from using the gifts God have me,” wrote former colleague Sarah Weaver. A user named dlschess said Bell’s life story is an “inspiration” and that the book is “a
great read for anyone, whether they are facing struggles, needing inspiration or just wanting to hear a good story.” In the years since the injury, Bell has advanced in her education career, receiving her doctorate and currently serves as the principal of W.F. Burns Middle School in Valley. She also mentors and is a motivational speaker. “I hope the main thing that people take from this book is to not give up. Life is hard, but if you keep pushing, you’ll came out on the side where God wants you to be,” Bell said. Bell will begin signing books at 5:30 p.m. and speakers will start at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served
Photo special to the Opelika Observer during the event. For more information, call 334-705-5466 or visit www.bottling-
planteventcenter.com. The venue is located at 614 N. Railroad Ave. The book is avail-
able in book stores and online for download through most major online retailers.
Sean of the South: Live at George’s July 20 By Bradley Robertson For the Opelika Observer Southern showman and personality Sean Dietrich is coming to the area for a sunset performance at George’s Farmers Market. This will be an evening filled with laughter, music and hopefully a few Southern tales. Dietrich is most widely known for his comical storytelling. He draws close to the roots and traditions of Southern culture while weaving in ideas and changes of our world today. He speaks to all generations of people and will make you laugh out loud and thank the Lord you are
Sundilla,
from A12 food, and the audience is invited to bring whatever food or beverage they
334-528-6191
Southern, too. I have yet to meet Dietrich, as I just began reading his work this year. He can take something as simple as a tomato and write an entire story on it that will leave your heart happy. He can also write about people in a way that will make you feel as though you are standing in their midst. The Opelika Observer began publishing Dietrich’s stories in August 2017. “I feel like his writing helps people connect to one another and helps people see the humor in everyday life,” said Observer Publisher Michelle Key. Humor is the con-
necting key to Dietrich, as well as his Southern charm. My personal favorites of Dietrich are his lavish stories, depicting everyday simple life. Folks sittin’ on front porches, pot-luck Sunday dinners, fiddle playin’ and puppy dogs. Dietrich also gets close to the heart in
some of his writings. He seems to have an understanding and love for all makes and models of people. He doesn’t just write about folks; he knows them and shares life with them, and on the surface, he genuinely cares for people too. I’m delighted to get to share this Southern artist with our com-
prefer; no glass, please. Auburn's newest great band Kudzu Voodoo, featuring Wildman Steve Bronson, will kick off the party at 6:30 p.m. "Webb Wilder is no stranger to Auburn" said
Sundilla organizer Bailey Jones. "He was playing here way back when I was a student, and he hasn't stopped yet. What he has done is gotten bigger, better, more diverse and even more entertain-
ing. We have hosted him at Sundilla a couple of times, but we wanted to make this one even more special, so we asked him to bring the band, and scheduled it outdoors at Pebble Hill.
Dietrich
www.eamcfoundation.org
Contact: Amy Thomas Amy.Thomas@eamc.org
munity. He is fit for all walks of life and will share music on July 20 with his local band at George’s. George’s will open at 4:30 p.m., with Dietrich’s show beginning at 6 p.m. George’s will host food trucks as well as a small handful of local vendors including: Drive by Tacos, O-Town Ice Cream, Hornsby Farms and Bulox Leather. Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets, “Sean of the South.” General admission tickets are $25 each. Pre-party tickets are $50 each and includes a meet and greet with Dietrich at 5 p.m., as well as drinks and light eats. Bring your
own chairs, event is on the lawn, rain or shine. Dietrich will be around after the show with his guests. He will also be selling his newest book release, “Stars of Alabama.” You may also find the event on Facebook, George’s Farmers Market. About Dietrich “Sean Dietrich is a columnist, novelist and radio talk show host, known for his commentary on life in the American South,” as quoted in his biography on his website, www. seandietrich.com. Those interested may also find Dietrich on Facebook and Instagram, Sean of the South.
"And then we got even more lucky, and managed to get Kudzu Voodoo to open the show! It was sad to see Blackberry Possum break up, but Wildman Steve wasted no time in forming a new band. Kudzu Voodoo will be bluesy and funky, but most of all fun, and this show will be their first public performance!" Some are probably thinking ,"Webb Wilder? Didn't I see him perform at a frat party many years ago?" Maybe you did. And maybe you heard his band as he wound his way back and forth across America and Europe, or saw one of his more intimate solo shows in a listening room somewhere. Maybe you saw him on the big screen, or the small screen. Maybe you heard his music when your kids wanted the companion CDs to the Disney movie “Cars.” Maybe you heard his voice on any one of countless radio commercials, or as one of the very first DJs on XM Radio. It's possible, if not likely that you heard him
in all of these ways, and more. Because Wilder just doesn't stop; he's a force of nature. Wilder has described his music as, "Rock for Roots fans and Roots for Rock fans." (The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, among others, combined R&B, rock and roll, country, blues, pop and rock, long before Wilder did, with some pretty good results.) In concert, Wilder spikes the punch between songs with potent doses of rustic wit and character, incantations, and codes by which to live. But don't overlook the music, or the musicianship; Guitar Player Magazine calls Wilder "a national treasure." Put it all together, and you get one of the most entertaining evenings you'll be able to stand. "You definitely don't want to miss it," Jones said. "And if you have friends who think Sundilla sounds boring, bring them and try to stay classy while accepting their profuse apologies." For more information, visit www.sundillamusic. com.
Opelika Schools & Sports Inside • opelika schools • lee county schools • community sports
See this week’s latest crossword and sudoku puzzles on B14.
Opelika Dixie youth 9/10-year-old team wins District 10 championship Special to the Opelika Observer
On the Mark
The Opelika Dixie Youth Minor League team won the District 10 Championship last week in Valley. With their victory, the team will advance to the State Tournament
By D. Mark Mitchell
Opelika Dixie Youth teams participate in postseason tournaments
O
pelika Dixie Youth selected All-Stars for seven to year years old (AA), nine to 10 years old (AAA) and 11 to 12-year-olds (Ozone). These three teams participated in District tournaments during the last two weeks. The seven and eightyear-old All-Stars finished second in the district tourney at Smiths Station, earning a trip to the state tournament in Troy July 12. The nine to 10-yearold team won the district tournament with a 4-1 record. The Minor League All-Stars won two straight, against Smiths Station 10-3 and the Auburn Orange 113. The Auburn Blue earned a hard-fought game over Opelika 1-0 in 10 innings. Opelika reeled off two straight wins, beating the Blue 15-6 and Orange 11-6. Opelika will play in the state tournament July 12 through 17 in Priceville. The Opelika Ozone AllStars were eliminated from the district tournament after one win and two loses. The 11 to 12-year-old players gave it their all but could not advance. OPELIKA Junior Dixie Boys 13U The Opelika Dixie Boys league has a 13U All-Star team. The Junior Dixie Boys team received
a bye to the state tournament. The district has had tremendous success during the last few years, earning a team to play in the state tournament. The Junior DB State Tournament begins July 12 in Dothan. Opelika will play for a birth in the World Series. AHSAA ELITE 100 The Alabama High School Athletics Association held its first Elite 100 basketball showcase last weekend. The AHSAA invited 100 girls and 100 boys basketball players to show their skills in front of hundreds of college coaches across the US. Rising senior Claire Worth participated in the event in Hoover. This is an opportunity for high school athletes to show case their skills and perhaps earn a scholarship. ON THE MARK RADIO CHANGE My morning sports radio show On the Mark will air on 910 and 1310 AM beginning July 1. The new stations will change to FOX Sports 24/7. The On the Mark radio show will air 6 to 9 a.m. on both stations. D. Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.
in Priceville July 12 through 17. According to Coach Kurt Branch, his squad went 4-1 in tournament play, outscoring opponents 47-17 and pitching two one-hit games. Their only loss was 1-0 in 10 innings.
Smiths Station 7/8 year-old team wins district tourney by beating Opelika 17-2
Photo special to the Opelika Observer Smiths Station’s 7/8 year-old team is back-to-back district champions when they beat Opelika 17-2. Smiths Station now moves on to play in the State Tournament on July 5 in Decatur for an opportunity to advance to the World Series. They went 3-0 in the District Tournament outscoring their opponents, 57-10.
Smiths Station student Colin Scroggins shares about his love of reporting on local, national news By Morgan Bryce Editor Instead of hanging out with friends or playing video games like his peers, Smiths Station teenager Colin Scroggins spends much of his spare time is following and reporting on local or national news.
The 13-year-old Smiths Station Junior High student has been passionate about news for years, and recently launched his own Facebook page “Colin News and Weather” recently to share information with his followers. “I love keeping people informed and having citizens ask me ques-
tions about the things I’m reporting on. It’s a lot of fun,” Colin said. Colin’s mother Lori said her son has “always been outgoing” and “loved being around people” since his toddler years. “As a family, we’d See Scroggins, page B4
Scroggins
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Local students from Philantrophy 101 programs showcase work, service during luncheon last week By Morgan Bryce Editor The Bulldog Cafe at Opelika High School was the sight of last week’s 2019 Philanthropy 101 Luncheon, hosted by members of the W. James Samford Foundation. It marked the first time in the program’s history that students in Philanthropy 101 programs from both Auburn and Opelika high schools celebrated their accomplishments together. “These students finished school, had a week of vacation, and came back to learn how to give with sweat equity as
well as financially. They have been in school the past three weeks from 9 (a.m.) to 3 (p.m.),” said Philanthropy 101 Founder Lucinda Cannon. “They promised to be on time, learn about our nonprofits that (delve into) the fields of education, religion, health care, environment, the arts and social concerns.” Each of the 18 students were required to present a slideshow about their chosen nonprofit partner and explain why they chose to volunteer there, what purpose the organization served, summarize its impact on their lives and discuss their orga-
nization’s future goals. Cannon added that each student received $1,200, with $700 of that to be allocated to their selected nonprofit partner. There were a total of 13 Opelika students and five Auburn students. Following is a list of their names and nonprofit partners: • Aaliyah Mason (Auburn), Ame Morgan (Opelika) and Dakaiya Ware (Auburn) - BigHouse Foundation • Marshall Meyers and Katie Salinas (both Opelika) - Community Market • Tori Slottke, Pilar McGuire (both Opelika) - Exceptional Foundation
Photo special to the Opelika Observer of East Alabama • Shanecia Harvey, Gavin Williams (both Auburn) - Exodus Ranch • Gabrielle Whack, Nakia Stinson (both Opelika) - Jean Dean RIF • Julia Bush (Opelika),
Raeden Gagliano (Opelika), Takhia Mims (Opelika) and Deasia Simmons (Auburn) - Miracle League of East Alabama • Zeke Byrd and Jonathan Woods (both Opelika) - Storybook Farms.
This year’s Philanthropy 101 instructors were: Dr. Rebecca Brown, Hannah Holladay, Lillian Worley and Don Shirley. For more information, visit www.ohs.opelikaschools.org.
University of Alabama announces local graduates Special to the Opelika Observer The University of Alabama awarded some 5,716 degrees during its spring commencement May 3 through 5. With a beautiful campus, dozens of challenging academic programs, expert faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, The
University of Alabama is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural and social experience with more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Among the recipients are: - Kathryn Roberts Madzar - Amber DaSean Mitchell-Spencer
- Khadijah Marie Torbert - Laci Andrea Williams About the University of Alabama The University of Alabama, the state's oldest and largest public institution of higher education, is a student-centered research university that draws the best and brightest to an academic community committed
to providing a premier undergraduate and graduate education. UA is dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship, collaboration and intellectual engagement; providing public outreach and service to the state of Alabama and the nation; and nurturing a campus environment that fosters collegiality, respect and inclusivity.
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Going the Extra Mile - continued
t isn’t located on a picturesque town square, nor along a quintessential old town promenade. This abstract take on locating the ideal has had an enduring appeal for me. For those who live in nearby Tennessee, a drive to Florence may seem convenient. But for me on a particular occasion, it was quite the contrast. I’d made my trek to the far corner of the state intrigued by countless articles spotlighting sustainability. Some stops along the way were charming while others evoked disappointing remorse, which left me questioning should I have come at all. A day such as that, in retrospect, now seems the kind of setting that prompts the voyager to explore more, thus proving what extraordinary things are in store for one willing to go the extra mile. I’m an advocate for sustainability, an artist, writer, mentor and Alabama small business entrepreneur. I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve grown to think of my state in both critical and affectionate context, equating my love for my home-state to my love for my family. Travel any backroad through the southland, and in the matter of a day you
By Sarah West form a romantic attachment to it, as well as established understanding of it flaws. I missed my exit, traveling north. I took the next one, and chose a rural route over to Muscle Shoals. Signs call it a highway. Perhaps long ago, before the four-lane, it was. A flat road winds its way through farmland. Signs along farm fence-posts profess “repent,” The remnants of abandon old filling stations succumb to kudzu and sumac. I pass primitive polling venues. It’s an election year; the campaign signs are scattered everywhere. Around noon, I arrived in Muscle Shoals, crossed the Tennesee river and later made my way to the outskirts of town. The Factory, as it is known, welcomes the pilgrim with open arms. Building 14 stands at the center
of what was once the “T-Shirt Manufacturing Capital of the World.” A person must know what they are looking for to find Alabama Chanin. A relic of the modern factory age has become a romantic ode to heritage; resurrecting favored traditions and pastimes of Alabama life and transposing them to meet the sustainable needs of current society. Here I found exceedingly more than I was looking for. Seldom do I happen upon a place and people that seem to parallel my path. My discovery of Alabama Chanin was uniquely that. My visit was unannounced. I hadn’t called ahead. I wasn’t sure before arriving that I would have the time to dedicate to a proper visit. I knew little of the fashion house, it’s heritage and history. Upon arrival, the Factory shop consultants provided a heartwarming welcome and swept away guests into a tour of the factory store, café, workshop- known and the School of Making and more… Remarkably, each person renders exemplary representation for the fashion house, the designer/founder, philosophy and ethical mission with a transparency that is deeply rooted in Ala-
YOUR DESTINATION for CONTINUED FINE ARTS EDUCATION STUDIO CLASSES | DRAWING, PAINTING & MORE for ALL AGES www.thesarahwestgalleryoffineart.com
bama soil. Without one thread of pretension, consultants explain the origin of garments, the process of their making and the source of every fiber. This experience strikes a chord with a person of conviction, as it is evident that Natalie Chanin and her team of makers -practice what they preach. Cotton from our region, processed in the southland and hand-stitched by local makers preserves a provenance and carries forth a heritage that sets the bare high, empowering kindred spirits go the extra mile. So often quoted is the phrase, “it’s the journey not the destination.” In my life this takes on reinforced meaning, when confluence of contrasting events evoke both second thoughts and validating overture. The currents we travail along the journey oft reroute us and guide
us towards experiences that reaffirm the core of our chosen course. With conviction, I question, “is it worth the drive?” The answer is always, Go the extra mile. It’s worth far more. To learn more about Alabama Chanin, the work or Natalie Chanin and her extraordinary team of makers visit www.alabamachanin. com and take a road trip to Alabama Chanin the Factory and School of Making in Florence, Alabama/. Sarah West serves the Opelika Observer as a contributing columnist, with written works of Cultural Arts relevance and prose. She is a preservation, and conservation advocate, activist, and visual artist of American Illustration with a focus on Regional Narrative Painting. She is founder of the Sarah West Gallery of Fine Art, A Center for Cultural Arts, Smiths
Station, Alabama’s premier fine arts destination. She is the appointed Official Artist to the City of Smiths Station, a Lee County syndicated columnist, the director of her art center’s Cultural Arts Outreach Initiative which partners with local schools to make the arts accessible to all. She also serves a chief curator to the City of Smiths Station, City Hall Art Galleries. She is a founding member of the Smith Station Historic Commission. She is a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Board- Cary Center, Auburn University College of Human Science. She is an elected member of the Society of Illustrators- NYC. She mentors art students of every age through weekly classes at her studio located in the heart of Smiths Station, Alabama. To learn more about her work and activism visit, www.thesarahwestgalleryoffineart.com.
Tips for encouraging creativity for young children
Beth Pinyerd The Classroom Observer
Y
our children and grandchildren have waited for nine months to get a good old summer break! Schools maintain a consistent schedule for students during the regular school year. It is total busyness during nine months out of the year for we parents, grandparents and caregivers. A week or two into summer break and you might hear your child say, “I am so bored!” Instead of quickly trying to pay and plan something to keep your child or children entertained, the summer is a time for we as parents to assess and truly encourage creativity in our children. During many years of teaching and babysitting, I’ve learned that children truly enjoy and learn so much by expressing their own creativity over many hours. This summer, I am so amazed at the
creative Play-doh masterpieces my children are creating. Part of the joy of creativity is sharing with others! Each child is so unique in the way they think and create. As their teacher, I take pictures of their art so we can share later on too! In working with young children, I am never ceased to be amazed that I can give children a construction paper shape and they can draw houses, people, cars or rockets just around a simple shape. Every early childhood teacher can tell you they have quite an array of Kleenex flowers, masterpieces full of glue and different odds and ends made with love and many teacher portraits signed or scribbled “I love you.” When we think of children expressing their creativity, it’s just not drawing, cutting and gluing. Creativity is a
foundation block for a child in solving problems, expressing their thoughts, using critical skills or divergent thinking. The seed of creativity begins when a child is an infant. When rocking a baby, one can notice how a young baby’s eyes are constantly looking around, exploring a person’s face or a room or grabbing a parent’s finger or object. From infancy on, children explore their environment by touching, handling and looking at things. Free play is a wonderful avenue for children to express their creative skills. Children are not taught to be creative, this is expressed natu-
rally. They are already creative. We as teachers and parents have to provide materials and resources, time and encourage young children to express their creative skills. Creative freedom in childhood leads to creativity in adulthood. A person expresses creativity in areas they have interests and strengths in. A young child may lean toward music, language expression, art, math, etc. If these strengths are encouraged, nourished or nurtured in childhood, that same creativity is enhanced as an adult. Tips that I have learned over the years as a teacher, mom, as well
as from other teachers is: You cannot force creativity in a young child. When I give young children coloring sheets, if one asks me if they can turn their page over and draw and color their own picture, I do not stop them from doing this. Creativity is not coloring within the lines of prepared pictures. Coloring prepared pictures comes under “can my child follow directions?” When an adult tells a child what to do step-by-step, it is not letting a child be creative. This cramps creativity from a young child because they are dependent upon your directions and instructions.
Creativity is reinforced when a child is allowed to “link” or make connections from their bodies to touch, see and feel things. This is the way we embark on creativity in exploring and experimenting things as well as circumstances in the environment. Safety has to be overseen and emphasized. Drawing skills are developmental. When your toddler scribbles and loves to use different colors with lines, this is their way of expressing themselves. Sometimes we may find masterpieces on our wall or furniture so be sure you have washable crayons, markers around See Pinyerd, page B4
1 OUT OF 10 ELDERLY PERSONS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE BEING: Abused, Neglected or Exploited If you suspect this is happening to someone you know, please report it to Adult Protective Services by contacting your local DHR office or calling the
ADULT ABUSE HOTLINE at 1-800-458-7214
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“This project was supported by Subgrant #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”
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Covington Recreation Tina Deese named as next head coach Center renames their of Lee-Scott Academy softball program summer basketball league in honor of ‘Roc’ Thomas Special to the Opelika Observer
Special to the Opelika Observer
Covington Recreation Center is renaming their summer adult basketball league after Opelika native and former basketball star Roscoe “Roc” Thomas. A dedication ceremony will be held at Covington Recreation Center on July 11 at 6 p.m. Members of the Opelika community are invited to join Thomas’s family for the presentation. Thomas played basketball at Opelika High School and after graduating, went to Troy University where he continued his basketball career. He eventually returned to Opelika, where he became a fixture in the community. “Roc was kind of a pillar in the community and someone who wanted to elevate and inspire people,” said Covington Center Supervisor Bobby Nix. “Our byline for the league is ‘a legacy of sportsmanship, competition and respect’ and that sort of embodies Ros-
coe. He was quite a player in his younger days.” Thomas died in January 2018, mere months before the summer basketball league exploded in popularity. During the 2018 summer season, many younger kids joined the league at the encouragement of Kingston Frazier, an OHS graduate and collegiate basketball player. “It’s a shame he had to pass right before the league took off,” Frazier saud. “He was there when my dad grew up playing in the rec and when I grew up playing in the rec. He’s like a real legend over there. I’m excited to honor him.” The summer basketball season is for adults ages 18 and older. It runs June through July and will feature a championship game at the end of the season. Games are played on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Covington Recreation Center. Admission is free and open to the public.
Lee-Scott Academy has hired former Auburn University softball coach Tina Deese. Deese was a pitcher for Florida State University in college, and was the pitching coach there from 1985 to 1986. She started the softball program at Huntington College in 1988, and remained there for eight years, leading the Hawks to seven-straight winning seasons and was named the “NAIA Coach of the Year” in 1992. Deese was hired at Auburn University in 1997 to begin their softball program, and during the next 18 years, led the program to nine NCAA Regional Tournaments and was named the
Scroggins,
from B1
watch episodes of America’s Funniest Home Videos and Colin would go grab a microphone and sign off (like the host did) by saying, ‘good night, everybody!’” Lori remembered. Passing by the scene of a house fire in 2013 sparked Colin’s interest in news. Starting with Instagram and Twitter, Colin honed his fact-finding and interviewing skills and turned to Facebook Live earlier this year as a platform to disseminate news. Whether it is local or national in
“SEC Coach of the Year” in 2002. She has coached at Beauregard High School as an assistant softball coach and most recently was the head softball coach at Opelika High School. “I am so excited about the opportunity to teach and coach at Lee-Scott Academy. I have followed Warrior Athletics for several years and they are a class-act organization,” Deese said in a statement to the Observer. “I look forward to being part of the Lee-Scott family!” Athletic Director William Johnson said Deese’s track record of success complements the already stellar assortment of coaches within the Warriors’ athletic department. “I think this hiring is great for Lee-Scott.
Every sport we have has an experienced coach at the helm and I believe that (Deese) will add greatly to that,” Johnson said. “We are honored to have Tina join the coaching staff at Lee-Scott Academy and continue to lead our softball program,” said Headmaster Dr. Stan Cox. “She is
committed to building leaders both on and off the field, and we are excited to welcome her as a Warrior.” Deese and her husband Alan have a son, Kyler, and a daughter, Jessi. For more information on Lee-Scott Athletics, visit www. lee-scott.org.
scope, he said he strives to be accurate, fair and kind in his reporting. “I like covering it all from here to California to Canada if it’s breaking news,” Colin said. While live streaming is his medium of choice to share news, Colin said he enjoys interviewing local business owners or figures like Mayor Bubba Copeland to write feature stories on “slow” news days. He has also reported on some of the tragic incidents that have taken place in Lee County this year - from the two police shootings to the March 3 tornadoes and the tragic deaths of Rod and Paula Bramblett. Colin’s main inspiration is WRBL’s Elizabeth
White, praising her for work earlier this year in covering “some of Lee County’s toughest times.” This fall, Colin said he plans to contribute to Smiths Station High School’s Panther News Network and plans to further his journalism career as a student at Auburn or Columbus State after high school. “I’ve given out so many hugs and loving comments to people that were affected by the storms in particular, and that’s when I realized that I want to do everything I can for this community. I want to be a reporter that cares for people and is there sharing their story in a kind, loving way in the best or worst situations,”
Colin said. With little to no assistance, Colin’s success and growth as a 13-year-old student journalist has been an amazing life path to see unfold, according to Lori. “I never imagined it in a million years. I knew he was going to be smart and do well in school but I never dreamed he would have this motivation and drive and such a big heart for his community,” Lori said. “It blows my mind that he has such a sense of community.” To view Colin’s work, like and follow his Facebook page. He posts frequently throughout the week.
Deese
Pinyerd,
from B3
the house. As children turn ages three, four or five, encourage them to explain and tell stories of their pictures. Keep in mind that children develop at different rates. Free play needs to be encouraged. As parents and grandparents we need to get down on the floor to play with our young child. Always keep a supply of markers, crayons, paper, scraps of cloth, toilet tissue tubes, string, buttons, beans, seeds, old gift wrap or empty egg cartons around the house that children can safely take apart and put back together for their creations. Spending time with your children and talking to them ignites that spark of creativity. Don’t criticize or evaluate a child’s free creation. Let them freely express themselves with creativity - they are allowed to make mistakes and break rules. Have a spot in the corner of your house
where children are allowed to make a mess. You can even title it “Creation Corner.” Pinyerd has taught young children in the early childhood classroom for 34 years as well as outreaching to the elderly in intergenerational settings. She has taught and outreached in the schools in Opelika and Baldwin County. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education as well as a bachelor’s degree in family and child development both from Auburn University. Her husband is the late Carl Pinyerd and she has one son, Gus Pinyerd who has taught her so much about learning. Classroom Observer is here to serve the community in sharing the wonderful teaching programs in our local public schools, private schools, and homeschools. The column is provided to enrich the education of our children, youth, and families. Classroom Observer welcomes educational news, school news, pictures, and events by e-mailing her at donnapinyerd@ charter.net.
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pelika Observer O
B6 June 26, 2019
LEGALS STATE OF ALABAMA IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LEE COUNTY FAMILY COURT DIVISION DR – 2019 - 900085.00 Gina Lynn Oldenburg, Plaintiff vs. Christopher Shannon Carver, Defendant NOTICE OF DIVORCE ACTION Christopher Shannon Carver, whose whereabouts are unknown, must answer Gina Lynn Oldenburg’s Complaint for Divorce and other relief by: June 27, 2019, or, thereafter, a Judgment by Default may be rendered against him in Case No.: DR-19-900085 In The Circuit Court Of Lee County. Done April 2, 2019. Mary Roberson, Clerk Circuit Court Of Lee County John F. Hitchcock P.O. Box 729 Smiths Station, AL 36877 Attorney for Gina Lynn Oldenburg Legal Run 6/5/19, 6/12/19, 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF DOROTHY JEAN NORRELL COURT OF PROBATE Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 5th day of June, 2019, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, ntoice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will bebarred. Witness my hand, and dated this the 5th day of June, 2019 MONTEY EARL NORRELL Legal Run 6/12/19, 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
NOTICE TO CREDITOR TAKE NOTICE that Letters Testamentary have been granted to Linda Garner Davenport as Personal Representative of the Estate of Larry Gene Garner, Deceased, on the 31st day of May, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate of hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same Will be barred. LINDA GARNER DAVENPORT Legal Run 6/12/19, 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT ESTATE OF ROSIE LEE JACKSON COURT OF PROBATE Letters Testamentary of said deceased having been granted to the undersigned on the 6th day of June, 2019, by the Hon. Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. Witness my hand, and dated this the 6th day of June, 2019. RITA J. JOHNSON Legal Run 6/12/19, 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA AT OPELIKA, ALABAMA In Re: The Estate of PHILLIP EDWARD GARNETT, Deceased. Case No.: 2019-B-025 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PHILLIP EDWARD GARNETT, DECEASED. Letters Testamentary on the estate of said decedent having been granted to the undersigned on the 5th day of June, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of said County in said State, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. /s/ Phillip Joshua Garnett
Executor of the Estate of Phillip Edward Garnett, Deceased Name of Attorney: Law Offices of James R. Bowles 2 South Dubois Avenue P. O. Box 780397 Tallassee, Alabama 36078 (334) 283-6548 Legal Run 6/12/19, 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
Notice to General Contractors Bids for Beulah Park Valley, Alabama The Beulah Athletic Park Development will be located at 11061 Lee Road 379, Valley, AL 36854. The new park development will include two (2) new natural turf baseball/softball fields, one (1) new natural turf rectangle multi-purpose field, a concrete plaza and sidewalks, associated sports field lighting, landscaping and site furnishings. Site work generally includes clearing and grubbing of approximately 27 acres, mass grading of the site, field installation, site utilities, asphalt and concrete paving, landscaping and irrigation for the sports fields. All bidders are encouraged to inspect existing conditions at the site at 11061 Lee Road 379, Valley, AL 36854. See map below for location. Consideration of existing conditions is crucial in submitting a responsible bid. All Questions are due by 4PM CST on July 17, 2019 to Foresite Group at GSbids@fg-inc.net or by phone at 770-368-1399. Sealed bids must be received in the Lee County Commission Office in the County Courthouse at 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, Alabama 36801 by 2:00 PM CST on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. Bid documents will be available for review in the Lee County Commission Office or can be obtained from Auburn Reprographics starting Wednesday, June 19, 2019. (Bidders have the option to purchase a CD in pdf format to read or print the drawings and specifications. Adobe Acrobat reader software is required to read and print electronic bid documents). Bid Documents may be viewed online by going to: www.auburnrepro.com and selecting Digital Plan Room. Options for obtaining Bid Documents are as follows: Electronic (CD): Make check payable to Auburn Reprographics & Supply in the amount of $25. This amount is nonrefundable. Shipping arrangements shall be by the Contractor. Hardcopy: Contact Auburn Reprographics, 660 North Dean Road, Auburn, AL 36830; (334) 501-8235; Attn: Greg Sellers; (E-mail greg@auburnrepro.com) to obtain bid documents. Hardcopy sets are non-refundable. A Bid Bond of 5% of the bid up to $10,000. in accordance with the laws of the State of Alabama will be required with submission of the bid. A Performance Bond of 100% and Payment Bond of 50% will be required from the successful bidder in accordance with the laws of the State of Alabama. As a condition for award, the business entity and its subcontractors shall not knowingly employ or hire an unauthorized alien within the State of Alabama. The awarded business entity must provide documentation of enrollment in the E-Verify program. The business must participate in the E-Verify program for the length of the contract. Lee County Commission: Roger H Rendleman, County Administrator Consultant Project Manager: Anthony Pappas (770) 368 -1399 Legal Run 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
IN THE PROBATE COURT FOR LEE COUNTY, ALABAM IN RE: The Estate of Robert Emsley Hunter, Deceased: July 28, 2006 Case No. 2019-A-223 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Letters of Administration have been granted to GALE HUNTER MORGAN, as Administra-
trix of the Estate of Robert Emsley Hunter deceased, on the 4th day of June, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. GALE HUNTER MORGAN Aministratrix Estate of Robert Emsley Hunter, deceased Legal Run 6/19/19, 6/26/19 & 07/03/19
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: Extra Space Storage 1412 Opelika Road. Auburn AL, 36830 on 07/08/2019 at 2:00 p.m. Regina Smith Unit# Q294 5671 Al Highway 81 Notasulga, AL, 36866 Clothes, shoes, Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property. Legal Run 6/19/19 & 6/26/19
IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PHILLIP C. KELLEY, JR., deceased ESTATE NO. 2019-B-047 NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION TO: Any unknown heirs of Phillip C. Kelley, Jr., deceased Angela Kelley, address unknown (adult daughter of Phillip C. Kelley, Jr, deceased) Phyllis Kelley, address unknown (adult daughter of Phillip C. Kelley, Jr. deceased) Please take notice that a Petition to Probate the Will of Phillip C. Kelley, Jr., in the above styled matter has been filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama by Petitioner Sherry Tharpe D. Tharpe Oliver and that on the 27th day of August, 2019, at 1:00 P.M. (Central time) has been set for a hearing on the same in said Court located at 215 South 9TH Street, Opelika, Alabama. Please be advised that if you intend to contest this Petition to Probate the Will of Phillip C. Kelley, Jr., that you must file a written response within thirty (30) days hereof with the clerk of said Probate Court and with counsel for said Petitioner, and/or you must appear the hearing scheduled in this manner Done this the 17th day of June 2019. Hon. Bill English Judge of Probate, Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 6/19, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10
In the Matter of the Estate of Elizabeth L. Pearce, Deceased. Case No. 2019B-016. NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR AND NOTICE TO FILE CLAIMS Letters of Administration on the Estate of ELIZABETH L. PEARCE, deceased, having been granted to the undersigned, NEIL A. PEARCE, on the 30th day of May, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of Probate of said County, notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law, or the same will be barred. Hon. Bill English Judge of Probate Lee County, Alabama Legal Run 6/19, 6/26, 7/3
INVITATION TO BID 19023 Sealed bids for the construction of the Removal of Dead, Dying, or Dangerous Trees and Stumps with Tree Pruning shall be received at
the Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general contractor. The attention of all bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code 34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted. Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code 34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number. Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid. All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work. Drawings and Specifications may be examined at the Office of the City Engineer located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama, and phone number: 334-7055450. Bid documents may be obtained from the Office of the City Engineer at no charge as an electronic file if the bidder supplies a storage drive or as an email attachment or electronic drop box. The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted. A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: Removal of Dead, Dying, or Dangerous Trees and Stumps with Tree Pruning LILLIE FINLEY-PURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 7055120 06/26/19 & 07/03/19
INVITATION TO BID 19024 Sealed bids for the construction of the Anand Street Improvement and Extension shall be received at the Opelika City Hall Conference Room, 204 South Seventh Street, Opelika, Alabama, until 2:00 p.m., local time on Tuesday July 30, 2019, and then publicly opened and read aloud. All interested parties are invited to attend. Only bids from competent general contractors will be considered. At the time of contract award, the successful bidder must be a properly licensed general ention of all.bidders is called to the provisions of State law governing “General Contractors” as set forth in the Ala. Code 34-8-1, et.seq. (1975) and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Bidders must be licensed by the Licensing Board for General Contractors when bids are submitted. Bidders are required to have a State of Alabama General Contractor’s License with a specialty of “Highways and Streets, Clearing and
Grubbing, Earthwork, Erosion, Site Work, Grading or Municipal and Utility”. All bidders must submit with their proposal, contractor’s license number and a copy of the license. State law Ala. Code 34-8-8(b) requires all bids to be rejected which do not contain the contractor’s current license number. Evidence of this license shall be documented on the outside of the sealed bid. All bidders shall possess all other licenses and/or permits required by applicable law, rule or regulation for the performance of the work. Drawings and Specifications may be examined at the Office of the City Engineer located at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika, Alabama, and phone number: 334-7055450. Bid documents may be obtained from the Office of the City Engineer at no charge as an electronic file if the bidder supplies a storage drive or as an email attachment or electronic drop box. The bidder’s proposal must be submitted on the complete original proposal furnished to him/her by the City of Opelika. All information in the proposal must be completed by the bidder for the proposal to be accepted. A Bid Bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the bid amount made payable to the City of Opelika must accompany each bid. Performance and Payment Bonds for the full contract sum will be required of the successful bidder. The right is reserved by the Owner to reject all Bids and to waive irregularities. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked, addressed as follows, and delivered to: Lillie Finley, Purchasing-Revenue Manager, City of Opelika, 204 South 7th Street, P.O. Box 390, Opelika, Alabama, 36803-0390. Attn: Anand Street Improvement and Extension LILLIE FINLEY-PURCHASING REVENUE MANAGER CITY OF OPELIKA 204 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET (36801) POST OFFICE BOX 390 (36803-0390) OPELIKA, ALABAMA PH: (334) 7055120 Legal Run 6/26 & 7/3/19
PUBLIC NOTICE OF HEARING ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PY2019 The City of Opelika will hold a public hearing at 4:00pm on Tuesday, July 9 at the Public Works Facility’s Planning Chambers, 700 Fox Trail for citizen input and questions concerning PY2019 Action Plan activities which is currently in progress. For each year of the Five Year Consolidated Plan, an Annual Action Plan must be developed to identify programs and projects that the City intends to accomplish. The programs and projects are funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program through the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The City will receive $255,632 in the 2019 Program Year. The Program Year begins October 1, 2019 and ends September 30, 2020. The 2019 Action Plan portion of the Consolidated Plan details the programs and projects that are proposed for funding. Supposing continued funding of present operations (with adjustments based on funding fluctuation) the below potential activities have been provided: Housing Services Emergency Home Repair $46,162 Home Ownership - $40,000 Public Services Utility Assistance - $15,844 The Community Market $22,500 Public Facilities Sidewalk/Streetscape $60,000 Rehabilitation Opelika Main Street -$20,000 Administration - $51,126 Grant Total $255,632 Public participation and comment is invited either in writing or in person. A draft and proposed version of the Plan is available for review at the Opelika Public Library at 200 South 6th St., City Hall at 204 S. 7th St.,
or the Public Works Facility at 700 Fox Trail beginning Tuesday, July 9, 2019. Comments and concerns can be forwarded to the address below and must be received by the department no later than 4:00 pm on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. Public Comment Point of Contact: Lisa Thrift Community Development Administrator Planning Department City of Opelika Public Works 700 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36801 lthrift@opelika-al.gov If special accommodations are needed to participate at the hearing by persons with disabilities please contact Kevin Rice, the City’s ADA Compliance Officer at 705-2083 at least forty-eight hours in advance. Legal Notice Run 06/26/19 & 07/03/19
NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF SHEILA R. MEREDITH, Deceased PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY - CASE NO. 2019-A-228 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Take Notice that LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION of said deceased having been granted to Tammy M. Blackerby on the 14th day of June, 2019, by the Honorable Bill English, Judge of the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama. Notice is hereby given that all persons having claims against said estate are hereby required to present the same within time allowed by law or the same will be barred. /s/ Tammy M. Blackerby Tammy M. Blackerby Legal Run 06/26/19, 07/03/19 & 07/10/19
THE STATE OF ALABAMA, COUNTY OF LEE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA THE ESTATE OF MARGARET B. WRIGHT, Deceased NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that Crawford Melton, Administrator of the Estate of MARGARET WRIGHT, deceased, has filed in the Probate Court of Lee County, Alabama, his accounts, vouchers, and statements for a FINAL SETTLEMENT of the Administration of the Estate of MARGARET WRIGHT, A hearing has been set for the 24th day of July 2019, at 10 o’clock a.m. in the courtroom of the Lee County Courthouse located at 215 South 9th Street, Opelika, Alabama 36801. Done the 18th day of July, 2019. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 06/26/19, 07/03/19 & 07/10/19
NOTICE OF ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE SALE To be held on Friday, July 26, 2019, at 10 a.m. at Best 4 Less at 2509 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801. WBANW13548CZ74489 2008 BMW 535 LEGAL RUN 6/26 & 07/03
NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING CASE NO: 2019-B-072 IN THE PROBATE COURT OF LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA Notice of the filing of Petition for Summary Distribution In the Estate of JAMES EATHELL BURNETT, deceased Notice is hereby given that a Petition for Summary Distribution has been filed in the LEE COUNTY Probate Office by LAKEYDA MORGAN BURNETT on June 25, 2019, pursuant to Section 43-2-690, Code of Alabama and that 30 days after the notice of publication hereof and pursuant to law the Court shall be requested to enter an Order directing Summary Distribution of the estate of said decedent. BILL ENGLISH, PROBATE JUDGE Legal Run 06/26/2019
Opelika, L ee County & A labama Politics Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Inside the Statehouse East Ala. Food Bank requests State ethics law not tough donation from Lee County for enough for Ole Rankin Fite captial campaign
S
tate Sen. Jabo Waggoner, (RVestavia), has been in the Alabama House and Alabama Senate for more than 40 years. That is a record in Alabama history and definitely a record of longevity for any Jefferson County legislator in history. Waggoner has had a significant impact on behalf of the folks in Jefferson County over his stellar career. He has been instrumental in the growth of UAB. In the 1970s, Waggoner sponsored legislation which spearheaded the purchase of 45 blocks in downtown Birmingham for UAB’s expansion. UAB purchased this property for $8.5 million. That would equate to $40 million in today’s dollars and has been invaluable toward the growth of UAB. Waggoner currently chairs the State Senate Rules Committee, a very powerful post. He also likes to honor history, protocol and precedent. Waggoner essentially has his own civitan club. It is the Vestavia Civitan Club that meets every third Friday at the Vestavia Country Club. It has about 40 to 50 members and attendees. It is a pretty select group of civic leaders, legislators, lobbyists and Jefferson County power brokers. They attend and belong at Wag-
By Steve Flowers goner’s request and invitation. He brings only the most elite speakers to his civitan club. Waggoner has been on the Board of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for decades and has unparalleled Alabama sports connections. In recent years he has hosted Eli Gold, Bobby Humphrey, Charles Barkley and Gene Hallman to name a few. He also has the top governmental leaders from Washington and Montgomery to the club. They are reluctant to say no to the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. A good many Cabinet members and Department Heads come to speak. Recently, Tom Albritton, the Executive Director of the State Ethics Commission, spoke to the club. Albritton’s appearance reminded me of the origins of our first Alabama Ethics Law. Campaign finance laws and ethics disclosure forms for political campaigns and officeholders were enacted throughout the country in the 1970s; mostly in reac-
tion to public outcry for ethics reform after the Watergate corruption. Practically every state passed an ethics law. In the 1970s, Alabama had a lot of veteran crafty and crusty legislators. The craftiest of all was the legendary Legislator and Speaker of the House Rankin Fite. Fite had done pretty well financially as a lawyer and legislator without any ethics laws. He and his colleagues were not about to succumb to the national trend of passing any ethic laws. That did not help the Alabama media from consistently harping on the need for such legislation. George Wallace was governor and he had pretty much dismissed ethics reform as an issue. He did not want to put his friends in the legislature on the spot. He had a very harmonious working relationship with the legislature and did not want to step on toes and create a hornet’s nest. However, one day late in the legislative session, Wallace decided to get a little good press. He called his legislative buddies in and said there were only a few more legislative days left in the session and it’s too late for anything to pass, much less an ethics bill, so let’s throw the press a bone See Flowers, page B11
Democrats focus on impeachment as border crisis worsens Special to the Opelika Observer Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement last week as Democrats continue to call for impeachment while the national security and humanitarian crisis on our Southwest border with Mexico continues to worsen by the day. As of now, U.S. border patrol agents
have caught more than 56,000 unaccompanied minors trying to cross our border this fiscal year. Over 56,000 - that’s roughly the number of everyone in Anniston, Oxford and Jacksonville. House Democrats continue to refuse to address the major issues facing our southern border. “I recently proposed legislation to provide the $4.5
billion in additional funding for humanitarian response and border operations that the Administration requested, but Nancy Pelosi blocked that bill 15 times, without offering any other solutions,” Rogers said Recently, even the New York Times Editorial Board acknowledged the humanitarian criSee Rogers, page B8
By Michelle Key Publisher East Alabama Food Bank Executive Director Martha Henk petitioned the Lee County Commissioners for a $25,000 donation to be paid over a period of three years to go towards the organization’s capital campaign during last night’s county commission meeting. Henk spoke on food insecurity in Lee County and discussed how the organization has outgrown their existing facility since moving in to it in 2002. The organization has purchased a new facility
from the city of Auburn and has created a capital campaign to raise the necessary funds to renovate the new facility that would meet the food bank's needs. The new facility will give them a 41,000 square foot warehouse space, a volunteer work area of 12,000 square feet as well as a significant increase in cooler storage area. “One of the things that was really highlighted for us (following the March 3rd tornadoes) was that we simply did not have to take in the disaster relief product that was being offered to us from all across
the country. We did the best we could ... but what it really made us realize was that we have got to step up, we’ve got to be prepared for the next disaster,” Henk said. “The food bank needs to be prepared for that.” Henk explained that as to date they have raised 87.4 % of the anticipated renovation costs. They have already started on renovations and anticipate being finished by the end of October. “We did take a bold step in stepping out in faith in this because we didn’t have all the funds in hand but we are confident that See LCC, page B11
Longtime city employee Bob Parsons honored for 20 years of service to Opelika By Michelle Key Publisher During last week’s city council meeting, the council presented Opelika Fire Inspector Bob Parsons with an Employee Performance Award for his 20 years of service to the community. The council also announced the expansion of two manufacturing businesses: Hanwha Advanced Materials America and West Fraser, Inc. In other business, the council: • approved the request from Sunoco Food Mart for a Beer and Wine Off-Premise License • approved a request
Parsons from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for the 2019 Christmas parade • Held a public
hearing regarding the proposed ordinance to See Council, page B10
pelika O Observer
B8 June 26, 2019
Attorney Gen. Steve Marshall announces $2.3 million in debt relief for eligible former ITT students in Alabama Special to the Opelika Observer Alabama Attorney Gen. Steve Marshall announced last week that 289 former Alabama students of ITT Technical Institute will receive $2.3 million in debt relief as part of a national multi-state settlement with the loan company Student CU Connect CUSO LLC, known as CUSO. The defunct for-profit college had schools in Madison, Bessemer and Mobile, as well as those in other states. Nationally, the settlement will result in debt relief of more than $168 million for more than 18,000 former ITT students. CUSO provided loans to finance students’ tuition at ITT, which suddenly closed in April 2016. ITT
filed for bankruptcy later that year amid investigations by state Attorneys General and following action by the U.S. Department of Education to restrict ITT’s access to federal student aid. The CUSO Loan program originated $189 million in student loans to ITT students between 2009 and 2011. Under threat of litigation, CUSO agreed in the settlement that it will forego collection of outstanding loans. The affected former students are those who still have outstanding debt from loans with CUSO. They will receive formal notice from CUSO’s loan servicer and do not need to take any action. Their debt will be immediately vacated and any automatic pay-
ments will be cancelled. CUSO will notify credit reporting agencies of this action for updating their records. CUSO, which was organized for the sole purpose of providing the ITT loans, will also cease doing business. “The manner in which students were strong-armed into taking out loans with this company and the misleading information they received is outrageous,” Marshall said. “CUSO now is being held to account for its participation with ITT in subjecting ITT students to abusive lending practices. I am pleased that this settlement brings relief to those in Alabama and throughout the nation who were victimized through the disgraceful actions of CUSO and of
ITT.” The Attorneys General allege that ITT, with CUSO’s knowledge, offered students Temporary Credit (TC) upon enrollment to cover the gap in tuition between federal student aid and the full cost of the education. What students were not told was that this TC would come due for repayment before the student’s next academic year, although ITT and CUSO knew or should have known that most students would not be able to repay the TC at that time. Many students thought the TC was like a federal loan and would not be due until six months after they graduated. Making matters worse, when the TC became due, ITT pressured and coerced students into accept-
ing loans from CUSO, which for many students carried high interest rates, far above rates for federal loans. Pressure tactics used by ITT included pulling students out of class and threatening to expel them if they did not accept the loan terms. Students were left with the choice of dropping out and losing any benefit of the credits they had earned because ITT’s credits would not transfer to most other schools. Therefore, most students enrolled in the CUSO loans. Neither ITT nor CUSO made students aware of what the true cost of repayment for the TC would be until after the credit was converted to a loan. Not surprisingly, the default rate on the CUSO loans was extremely high
(projected to exceed 90%) due to both the high cost of the loans as well as the lack of success ITT graduates had getting jobs that earned enough to make repayment feasible. The defaulted loans continue to affect students’ credit ratings and are usually not dischargeable in bankruptcy. In addition to Alabama, this settlement was joined by 42 other states and the District of Columbia. A related settlement between the CUSO and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee was approved on June 14. The settlement by the Attorneys General also is contingent on federal court approval of a related settlement between the CUSO and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Sec. John Merrill receives National Leadership Award last week Special to the Opelika Observer Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill last week received the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Leading Globally Matters Locally Award during the organization’s State
Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes his efforts to support U.S. diplomacy and development programs that strengthen Alabama’s economy and help keep America safe. “I am honored to be recognized for these
efforts to support U.S. diplomacy and programs that are encouraging international trade,” Merrill said. “If we choose not to follow the path that’s been set by investing in international relations and international markets, it puts our local economies behind.
So many times, our people are reluctant to embrace that international flavor. We’ve got to make sure that we’re taking advantage of all of those opportunities that we have, from the momand-pop shops all the way up to the Fortune 500 companies.” Merrill was joined by 300 current and former elected officials over the two-day U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and is one of four who were honored as Leading Globally Matters Locally Award recipients, including Bob Holden, former Governor of Missouri, Mark Schweiker, former Governor of
Rogers,
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Merrill Pennsylvania, and Alex Sink, former Florida State Chief Financial Officer. “In my role as Secretary of State, I’ve made sure to give equal attention to activities here at home and abroad in order to make it easy sis at the southern border and urged Congress to address it. “By continuing to delay the funding,
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to do business and boost commerce in the Alabama economy,” Merrill said. According to The Global Coalition, last year Alabama exported $21.7 billion in goods overseas, and trade supports 488,900 local jobs. House Democrats are jeopardizing the health and safety of the folks they claim they want to help just to have a political issue against President Trump,” Rogers added. If the Democrats refuse to address this crisis within the next month, government agencies will run out of money to care for the unaccompanied children at the border. “The time is now to deal with this crisis, and I call on House Democrats to stop pursuing their impeachment fantasy and start addressing real issues that America faces. They cannot continue to ignore this crisis,” Rogers said.
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B9 June 26, 2019
Congressman Rogers offers statements on ‘American Security Agenda’ at the International Summit on Borders Special to the Opelika Observer
Rep. Mike Rogers (RAla.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, announced the “American Security Agenda,” a comprehensive legislative effort from committee Republicans to improve the U.S. response to new and emerging threats to the homeland. Highlights from Rogers’ remarks at the International Summit on Borders can be found below: On the goal of the American Security Agenda: “The goal of the American Security Agenda is to take a hard look at the department’s missions and act to ensure that DHS is prepared to tackle the emerging threats to our homeland. Our enemies are changing tactics and fighting us on new battlegrounds. Unfortunately, the federal government is not adequately prepared or properly resourced to combat this new and evolving threat.” On the rise of cyberhackers, rival nation-states and emerging threats to the homeland: “Since the horrible attacks of September 11th, we have made great strides to thwart global jihadist operations and stop those threats before they reach our shores. However, today, global jihadists are joined by cyberhackers, rival nation-states, and transnational criminal organizations to present incredible new risks to our economy, our safety, and our way of life.” On the core pillars of the American Security Agenda: “The American Security Agenda accomplishes three important goals: granting DHS the authority it needs to stay ahead of emerging threats; providing DHS and its state, local, and private sector partners with the resources they need to build and maintain a robust capacity to deter acts of terrorism; and reforming DHS structure and management to ensure it properly positioned to combat the constantly evolving threat to the homeland.” Rogers full remarks: I am honored to be here today, at the International Summit on Borders. This annual gathering of global subject matter experts is impressive. I commend you for bringing together political leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders to discuss
security challenges and migration management issues. The first thing I think of when I hear border is structure, certainty, and most importantly security. As you all know, America is experiencing a humanitarian and security crisis on our southwest border. This last year has been nothing like we have ever seen. We’re on track to apprehend more than one million migrants this fiscal year. We encountered more than 100,000 migrants crossing the border in each of the last three months. We are also seeing the flow of migrants change. What use to be single males from Mexico, is now unaccompanied children and families from Central American countries. We are also apprehending migrants from as far away as Asia and Africa. Because of loopholes in our immigration laws, smugglers and cartels are making billions exploiting children to help adults enter the United States illegally. Women are facing the constant threat of sexual assault on the journey. The security of this country and the lives of migrants are at stake. Our immigration system was not built to withstand this unprecedented surge of migrants. CBP processing centers was designed to hold 4,000 migrants at a time. Right now, there are 20,000 in custody, most of them women and children. We have all seen the pictures. We all know those conditions are unacceptable. 50 percent of CBP officers are pulled off the line each day to process and care for migrants. CBP is on track to run out of funding before the end of the fiscal year – likely before August 1. Funding to care for unaccompanied children is on track to run out by the end of the month. If that happens, the Department of Health and Human Services, tasked with caring for unaccompanied children, would be forced to divert funding from other vital health programs to provide minimum standards of care. That cannot happen. The Trump Administration has asked for $4.5 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to address the humanitarian crisis at the border. I introduced that request – so far it has been blocked 15 times by my Democratic colleagues in the House. None of this requested funding is for the wall.
Rogers Instead it would be used to feed and house unaccompanied children and migrant families and provide urgent medical care and transportation services. At some point, Congressional Democrats will need to do more than point fingers at President Trump. As the majority party, they have a responsibility to offer a solution. When they are ready to do that, we are ready and willing to work with them. As a ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am focused on ensuring the Department of Homeland Security can stop all the threats facing our country. One of the first things I did as Ranking Member was to convene the 12 other Republican committee members for a meeting, to discuss our strategic objectives for the upcoming Congress. There is no shortage of viewpoints and expertise amongst the members of our committee.One theme that continued to echo was that our enemies and their tactics are constantly evolving. As a country, we must be prepared for the threats we are currently facing, as well as the threats that will confront us in the future. That is why I am here today. I am announcing Homeland Security Republicans’ American Security Agenda. This agenda arose out of the conversations I had with the Members on my committee. The goal of the American Security Agenda is to take a hard look at the Department’s missions and act to ensure that DHS is prepared to tackle the emerging threats to our homeland. Our enemies are changing tactics and fighting us on new battlegrounds. Unfortunately, the federal government is not adequately prepared or properly resourced to combat this new and evolving threat. Since the horrible attacks of September 11th, we have made great strides to thwart global jihadist operations and
stop those threats before they reach our shores. However, today, global jihadists are joined by cyberhackers, rival nationstates, and transnational criminal organizations to present incredible new risks to our economy, our safety, and our way of life. Congress has taken several important steps in the last few years to position DHS for these new threats. We modernized TSA in last year’s FAA bill. TSA now has a stronger technology and intelligence focus as opposed to shuffling passengers through screenings as quickly as possible. We stood up to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, also known as CISA. CISA is leading the Department’s efforts to defend the nation against cyberattacks and they are solely focused on this mission. But more must be done because our adversaries continue to evolve. Rising powers are using asymmetrical attacks to diminish our leadership role and influence in the world. China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea all have state-sponsored “programs” aimed at harming the United States. Some of you may know I’m also a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. That Committee has been watching these rising and resurgent powers for the last 20 years. What we’ve seen is a comprehensive challenge to American dominance and security. There isn’t a single arena free of intense competition. Warning lights have been flashing in the defense community for years and they are now bleeding over to DHS. We are under pressure on everything from satellites to social media. Online influence operations can destabilize our neighbors and impact migration flows. Or elections here at home. China’s Belt and Road Initiative is holding more and more of our foreign partners hostage using cheap state-backed loans. But the terms would make a loan shark blush. Missed a payment? We’ll take your port, your highway, your airport. Intellectual property theft means that foreign powers are stealing innovation directly out of our laboratories rather than waiting to copy it off the shelf. These three threats weren’t on DHS’ radar when it was created in 2002. Some of them
didn’t even exist. But the Department’s 21st century mission will be defined by these new threats and a few more that we can’t predict yet. These threats from nation states also track with changes in terrorism at home and abroad. Online radicalization is free, easy and anonymous. Acts of terrorism can now be simple and viral. Republicans have made it a focus of the committee to try and better understand the changing nature of the terrorist threat. Whether it be the metastasizing of online radicalization, hackers, transnational criminal organizations, the “lone wolf” actor, or a nation state threat, Republican Members understand the gravity of their responsibility. We understand that being naïve about our adversaries and their attempts to disrupt and destroy our way of life is not an option. We need to address these emerging threats head on. The American Security Agenda is a longterm effort by Homeland Security Republicans to modernize and equip DHS for the threats of today and prepare it for the threats of tomorrow. The American Security Agenda accomplishes three important goals: granting DHS the authority it needs to stay ahead of emerging threats; providing DHS and its state, local, and private sector partners with the resources they need to build and maintain a robust capacity to deter acts of terrorism; and reforming DHS structure and management to ensure it properly positioned to combat the constantly evolving threat to the homeland. Today, I am happy to announce some of the legislative proposals we intend to pursue as part of the American Security Agenda. To help the Department stay ahead of emerging threats – Our former Chairman Pete King is introducing the Securing the Homeland Security Supply Chain Act. The bill will enable DHS to keep products from vendors that pose security risks out of the supply chain. Another former Chairman, Mike McCaul is introducing the BITMAP Authorization Act to formally authorize the program to screen migrants for national security risks before they reach our border. An extremely bright freshman Member of our committee, John Joyce, is
introducing the Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act, which will help TSA identify and mitigate emerging threats to our transportation system. And one of subcommittee leaders, Debbie Lesko, will introduced the Pipeline Security Enhancement Act, which will empower TSA to inspect, monitor and regularly improve the physical and cybersecurity of pipelines. To help DHS and its local government partners build the capacity they need to be resilient in the face of emerging threats, another one of our subcommittee leaders, John Katko, is introducing the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act. This bill would authorize grants and technical assistance to state and local governments to build cybersecurity capacity. Finally, to better position DHS to combat emerging threats, our Agenda includes the following legislation intended to reform the department’s structure, management, and procedures. Clay Higgins, another subcommittee leader, has introduced the Combating TCOs Act. This bill establishes task forces comprised of DHS, state, local, and international partners and leverages their authorities to combat the growing threat of transnational criminal organizations. And we are working with one of our earnest new Members, Dan Crenshaw, legislation to reform DHS acquisition and ensure critical new technologies come in on time and on budget. These seven bills are just the start. We are working on other bills to address emerging threats that we hope to introduce soon as part of our agenda. As we move forward with the American Security Agenda, I respectfully request your input. This room is filled with tremendous expertise. Each of you are homeland security practitioners operating in the real world. You’ve seen how misinformed policy making from Washington can undermine operational gains. That’s why we need your ideas. We want to hear your solutions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. The security of our homeland has always been, and will always remain, our most profound commitment. Thank you for the opportunity to address you today.”
Rogers launches new custom congressional website Special to the Opelika Observer
Congressman Mike Rogers announced the launch of his new, custom Congressional website last week, saying he hoped Third District constituents find the
updated site easy to navigate and a reflection of East Alabama. The website, which launched Friday, features a moving banner that highlights areas across the Third Congressional District. “I am thrilled to
launch this new custom website. I hope folks find the site user-friendly and will use it to stay connected with me,” Rogers said. Rogers added that the website has several features to allow constituents to sign up for his
eNewsletter and “Mornings with Mike” events in addition to linking to his social media and the House Floor schedule. “I hope constituents will use the site for news, constituent services and helpful information. I always
want to be as accessible as I can to the folks of East Alabama – even when Congress is in session and I am back in Washington. This new, custom website should put my office at your fingertips 24/7,” Rogers added.
Rogers serves as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. To visit the website, go to http://mikerogers. house.gov.
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B10 June 26, 2019
Sen. Randy Price meets with Mayor F. L. ‘Bubba’ Copeland last week
Council,
from B7
amend zoning ordinance and map to rezone two acres in the 2400 Block Dunlop Drive • approved expense reports from various departments. • approved to designate city personal property surplus and authorize disposal of said property
• approved the purchase of cameras for Covington Recreation Center utilizing National IPA Contract #2018011-01 • approved the purchase of Dell/EMC Isilon Disk Storage for the City Camera Systems utilizing National IPA Contract #2018011-01 • approved a tax abatement for Hanwha • approved a tax abatement for West Fraser • approved a budget
adjustment for advertising expense • approved the grant application for the Pepperell Watershed Phase II project • rejected all bids for removal of dead, dying or dangerous trees and stumps with tree pruning • approved a request to change the Nov. 19 city council meeting date. The meeting will be held on Nov. 18. • heard the first reading for a proposed ordi-
Photo special to the Opelika Observer Alabama State Senator Randy Price met with Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland last week and discussed several projects underway in his city. A special "thank you" to Mayor Copeland for his leadership in Smith's Station's recovery efforts following the March 3 tornadoes.
nance to amend zoning ordinance and map to rezone two acres in the 2400 Block Dunlop Drive • heard the first reading of an ordinance for the Conveyance of the West Side of Dunlop Drive to John A. Stewart • heard the first reading for an ordinance to amend City Code, Chapter 5.5 Article III, wireless telecommunications. Citizens are welcome at both the council work sessions meetings and the council meetings. They are invited to voice their opinions or concerns at each council meeting. The only rules are that one must give their name and address and are limited to five minutes or fewer. The next council meeting will be held on July 2. Work session starts times vary from 6 to 6:45 p.m. and the council meetings start promptly at 7 p.m. Meetings are held in the council chamber at city hall located at 204 S. 7th St. in downtown Opelika. Copies of the agendas can be found on the city’s website www.opelika-al. gov/406/City-Council.
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from B7 the community is going to step up and help us with this,” Henk added. County Commissioner Richard LaGrand expressed his support of the organization. “I strongly support the Food Bank of East Alabama. I know they have done some outstanding things over the years, and they’ve got some great board members,” LaGrand said. July 5 County Holiday The commission approved a request from several county employees to make July 5 a county holiday in conjunction with state offices and facilities being closed that day too. That move is expected to
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cost the county $80,000 but the vote to incur the additional expense was unanimous. Hazard Mitigation Grant The commission voted to authorize Lee County Emergency Management Director Kathy Carson to send letters of interest and intent to apply for a hazard mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Lee County is eligible for $383,782 in grant funds which could be used to help individuals purchase storm shelters. The grant funds will be paid out to those that apply and are approved and will provide reimbursement of up to $4,000 or 75% of the cost of a storm shelter, whichever amount is lower. Carson stressed that it is important for inter-
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by introducing one. The plan was that the House would pass a House Ethics Bill and all of the representatives would get credit for voting for an Ethics Bill knowing full well that the Senate would kill it. The senators would then do the same so they could get credit knowing the House would kill their bill. They gleefully went ahead with their plan and they and Wallace enjoyed their day in the sun. Well, the press put a spotlight on the measures like never before and focused on the need for final passage. Things got out of hand and the House succumbed to public opinion. It got to the floor and once
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In other business, the commission voted to: • award the low bid of $1,606,712 to Whatley Construction, Inc. for renovations to the first floor of the Lee County Courthouse • approved an educational reimbursement request for a county employee • heard the first readings on the appointments of Barbara Patton to the Lee County Emergency Communications District Board and the reappointment of George Dyar and Lee Roy Kelly to the board as well • discussed a request from Trey Thompson and
inspect the roadway, the road does not currently meet the rating criteria to be placed on the list of roads to be resurfaced at this time, but did state that the road department will look at doing some repairs to the road • heard from Calvin Bellamy of Lee Road 246 regarding a request to have that road paved as well however, the paving of dirt roads in Lee County was suspended in 2010. The next Lee County Commission meeting will be held on July 8 at 5 p.m. at the courthouse, which is located at 215 S. 9th St. in Opelika.
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it got to a vote, the representatives were hard pressed to vote against an Ethics law. Only a handful of House members had the nerve to vote against the Ethics Law. One of the few who did was Fite. A horde of House members and reporters gathered around the legendary crusty ole Speaker and asked why he voted against it. He looked them squarely in the eye and said, “It wasn’t tough enough for me.” See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in more than 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www. steveflowers.us.
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pelika Observer O
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pelika O Observer
B13 June 26, 2019
Elks Lodge celebrates Flag Day with Boy Scouts retiring flag By Robert Noles Opelika Observer Each year, the Auburn-Opelika Elks Lodge #1834 is required to have a public “Flag Day” ceremony to honor and retire an American flag. Boy Scout troop
#218, which is sponsored by the lodge, led by the lodge’s Exalted Ruler Jeff Massey and Charter Scout Master/ Lodge Member John Findley. During the ceremony, the flag’s history was given and how it had changed
throughout history as the scouts presented the flags that have flown over the United States of America. It was noted that the flag is to be honored, respected and that there is a proper way to dispose of the flag. At the end of
the ceremony, a flag was properly folded then respective placed on the fire as everyone stood and either saluted or placed their hand their heart. Massey said that “it was an excellent ceremony” and that he was “glad to see so
many that came out for the ceremony.” Scout Master Joe Higgins said that the troop has retired more than 100 flags this year that were tattered, faded or torn. Individuals with flags in poor condition are asked to contact
Troop #128 or the lodge to help properly dispose of the flag in a respectful way. The lodge is located at 1944 Opelika Road in Auburn. For more information, call 334- 8212391 or visit www. elks.org.
Photos by Robert Noles/Opelika Observer
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COMICS
A good laugh heals a lot of hurts. — Madeleine L’Engle